Tram Track

[signalmanson]

Hi everyone.

 

I intend to incorporate a raised urban section in a new N scale layout and would like to include a modest tram section.

 

I'd welcome thoughts on preferred track systems.

[enodenlover]

I haven't had any experience with Kato's Unitram track yet but I do have quite a bit of the Tomix tram track and I've been pretty happy with it. My only real complaint is that there are no ready-made turnouts in the Tomix system, unlike Unitram. Something else I'd like to see from Tomix is street track equipped with the necessary guardrails and piers to create overpasses and viaducts. Neither company offers anything of that nature and I kind of doubt that we'll ever see it.

[kvp]

Kato has an easy to use double track tram system, that has a few components and allows the fast and easy construction of a classic double track street running tram line, but the only turnout type is a double track plate and both turnouts are thrown together and there is only a single curve radius available. Tomix has the more modular street tracks, that can be combined with their moving bus system and could create complex combinations of trackwork, both paved, ballasted or even cobblestone covered with several different radius curves and crossing angles. As written above, the only problem is that a few things (like paved turnouts or the 30 degree crossing) are only available as kits and you have to put the pre cut pavement pieces on the off the shelf tracks by hand.

 

It's an ease of use versus flexibility trade off for both systems. I suggest you to look at a few videos on youtube about each system before you decide.

 

Something else I'd like to see from Tomix is street track equipped with the necessary guardrails and piers to create overpasses and viaducts. Neither company offers anything of that nature and I kind of doubt that we'll ever see it.

Actually bridge kits are available that allow the street level track pieces to be mounted on the piers and you can add the guardrails from the detail kits. This also works with road pieces, so the trams and buses can be elevated together.

http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/products/n/3069.htm

and there are fully assembled railroad/road bridges too for those who don't want to make them from the kits:

http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/products/n/3068.htm

[ToniBabelony]

Depending on your needs, you can decide upon your track of choice. For a simple double track layout with double track branch points, I'd say, go for Kato Unitram, as this has the best visual representation of modern tram tracks, as well as a realistic 25mm centre track layout. This doesn't allow direct interference with Unitrack, as the track centre of that system is 37mm. That however can be overcome with a transfer piece (40-021, transferring 25mm to 37mm over a straight ballasted 124mm piece), or a Unitram curve piece (40-101 and 40-102, transferring 25mm to 37mm over a road-style R180 curve at 45˚). 

 

Tomix is however excellent for single track and in general more complex track layouts, but -as said before, has no plated points and crossings. The track centre layout is 33mm, which is visually less appealing IMO. However, this allows direct connecting to the ballasted Finetrack system without any transfer pieces.

[velotrain]

Depending on your needs, you can decide upon your track of choice. For a simple double track layout with double track branch points, I'd say, go for Kato Unitram, as this has the best visual representation of modern tram tracks, as well as a realistic 25mm centre track layout. This doesn't allow direct interference with Unitrack, as the track centre of that system is 37mm. That however can be overcome with a transfer piece (40-021, transferring 25mm to 37mm over a straight ballasted 124mm piece), or a Unitram curve piece (40-101 and 40-102, transferring 25mm to 37mm over a road-style R180 curve at 45˚). 

 

Tomix is however excellent for single track and in general more complex track layouts, but -as said before, has no plated points and crossings. The track centre layout is 33mm, which is visually less appealing IMO. However, this allows direct connecting to the ballasted Finetrack system without any transfer pieces.

 

Toni - I think you're confusing the two brands.  Unitrack has the 33 mm spacing, while Tomix uses the 37 mm.  This is easy to remember when you consider their available radiuses:  103, 140, 177, etc.

 

Signalmanson - it is possible to connect the two brands with a bit of bashing.

 

I basically took a Kato 25mm to 33mm transition piece, sawed a line between most of the track, and then forced the 33mm end to 37mm so it would mate with Tomix.

 

 

 

 

One other thing:  you mention a "raised urban section".  It is impossible for any of us to know just what you mean by this, but you might want to run your general plan by the forum for comment, as the sound of that raises possible design issues in my mind.

[ToniBabelony]

Toni - I think you're confusing the two brands.  Unitrack has the 33 mm spacing, while Tomix uses the 37 mm.  This is easy to remember when you consider their available radiuses:  103, 140, 177, etc.

 

Whoops. Yes, you're right on that. I blame my lack of ownership in Unitrack/Unitram tracks and focus on single-track lines...

[enodenlover]

kvp, thanks for the information regarding elevating Tomix tram tracks. I was already familiar with the green girder bridge and piers in the link but it never occurred to me that it could be used for a street or highway overpass ( got to start paying more attention to this stuff ). This has given me some interesting ideas for my future kitchen table layouts.

[katoftw]

I have used both a little.  Not an expert.  Tomix in my option is better due to the variety to have to make almost anything.  Kato while very pretty out of the box.  It both costs more and you cannot really do much with it compared to Tomix.

[gerryo]

I agree with katoftw 100 percent.  There are many things you can not do with Unitram, that you can easily do with Tomix.

 

gerry