Mixing different makes of track

[dave flint]

Trying not to waste money.....I have a 3 year old lad, and have been building up a collection of N gauge locos for me. As he gets older, I'd like him to have a supervised play with it, and am impressed with Kato track, which seems to be designed to be "portable" - quick to set up and put away again.

 

If I invested in a bit of Kato stuff, could I incorporate it into Peco trackwork later on ? It looks like it connects via a fishplate and a plastic lug - which would have to come off to connect. I'd also have to ramp up Peco track to accomodate the Kato ballast height.

 

Otherwise its Peco setrack I assume....

[Kris]

If your lad has been purchasing newer steam locos have a look at their service sheet (if from Farish) to find out the minimum radius that they will run round. In most cases this seems to cause problems at points that are below the minimum radius rather than on curves that are below the minimum.

Peco set track points are set to a 9 inch radius, I don't know what the Kato ones are.

[corax67]

If you like the Kato track then you could always use one of these:

 

http://www.traintrax.co.uk/20045-snap-track-conversion-track-p-282.html

 

 

which is their own bespoke joiner section allowing any track to be fitted to Kato Unitrak.

[dave flint]

Thanks Kris - they'll a;; be modern image diesels and electrics. As a recent convert to N, they're all finer profile wheels with dcc socket or dcc solder tab fitted stuff, if that helps.

 

i hadn't really thought about radii, more the profile of the rail and whether a fishplate would fit. I'm thinking use the kato in a fiddle yard, and peco streamline out front ?

[dave flint]

If you like the Kato track then you could always use one of these:

 

http://www.traintrax...rack-p-282.html

 

 

which is their own bespoke joiner section allowing any track to be fitted to Kato Unitrak.

 

Well well well ! Seek and ye shall find. Thank you

 

I'd seen the track in Ian Allan in Manchester, and the advert from MG Sharp (from memory), and didn't know that they made these.

 

I gather it is damn good stuff, would anyone else confirm ?

[Kris]

You'll have no issues with the current or past crop electrics or diesels. Looks like Karl has given you a good option for using both.

[corax67]

I gather from people I have spoken to over the years that it is the bees knees, although a little expensive, but I have not used it myself.

[speedy]

Its more expensive if you purchase directly in the UK - there are various traders online (such as Plaza Japan on eBay) that offer good postage rates and cheaper prices. The Snap conversion track will work to link Kato track with other makes; the main issue is that Kato track has a built in roadbed which is quite high, so non-Kato track may need to be raised significantly so the drop off isn't too big.

 

I've personally used Kato track as I found that the powerclip on Peco track wasn't great - for Kato, there is a socket underneath the feeder track section which accepts the plug on the end of the power wire. Its not going to fall out (unlike the Peco powerclip which loosens off too easily)

[Etched Pixels]

Its rugged, its solid, its electrofrog without the complications and its robust enough that junior can do his/her own layout redesign:

 

But

- It needs to be well supported as the joiners are not good at stopping vertical movement which then translates into trouble, particularly with Dapol diesels because they model the fuel tanks etc to the right depth rather than skimping a spot

- The #4 points are problematic with some wheels used in UK outline and the blades are very delicate

 

Joining it to Peco code 80 track is easy, and Peco code 80 to Peco code 55 is easy so that isn't a worry.