Paintmatching Kato Concrete Unitrack Ties?

[Philphil]

Hey guys, I'm slowly starting to build up track and other supplies for a small N-scale layout mostly using Kato-brand Unitrack. 

Currently, Kato has a very limited amount of their unitrack available with concrete ties, and I'm just wondering if anyone has ever tried to repaint the black wood tie track pieces to make them look like their concrete-tie counterparts?

If so, could you tell me the color(s) used or recommendations for potential colors?

 

~Phillip

[kvp]

While it's possible to repaint them, the shape of the ties and the tie to tie spacing is different for wooden and concrete/synthetic tie track. Not to mention the wood grain pattern on the wooden ties.

[gavino200]

An old post but sort of an interesting question. I like the look of concrete ties, but Kato doesn't give much of an offering in concrete ties. Bridging sections of concrete ties with wood tie curves or junctions looks terrible. Since I don't want to get rid of the considerable amount of Kato track that I already have I might try to do a little cosmetic work on them. Perhaps paint and a little sanding to smoothen the wood ties. 

[katoftw]

Kato have started to offer some turnouts and S64 and single curves in concrete. Mainly the pieces needed around stations. Sorry no link but should be on Kato website and-or HD website.

[Das Steinkopf]

8 hours ago, katoftw said:

Kato have started to offer some turnouts and S64 and single curves in concrete. Mainly the pieces needed around stations. Sorry no link but should be on Kato website and-or HD website.

The #6 points, 718R-15 curves and S64 straights are not proper concrete sleepers, they are just the regular track with the sleepers painted light grey, from a normal viewing distance people wouldn’t even realise that. The only single pieces with precast concrete  sleepers that Kato has is the 248mm lengths that are available in 20-875 and V15 which also has 4 124mm lengths as well. I really wish Kato would pull their finger out and actually produce a proper range of this style of track in single track format, it would complement their excellent range of double track so well.

[Das Steinkopf]

On 12/26/2020 at 4:52 AM, gavino200 said:

An old post but sort of an interesting question. I like the look of concrete ties, but Kato doesn't give much of an offering in concrete ties. Bridging sections of concrete ties with wood tie curves or junctions looks terrible. Since I don't want to get rid of the considerable amount of Kato track that I already have I might try to do a little cosmetic work on them. Perhaps paint and a little sanding to smoothen the wood ties. 

 

The #4 crossovers that have concrete sleepers for the straight sections 20-230 and 20-231 are true to prototype as it is fairly common to use wooden sleepers to make points as the holes for the fishplates or pandrol mounts can be fitted anywhere, making ponts with concrete sleepers the sleepers have to be custom made for the geometry of the points. One of the newer techniques is to use synthetic sleepers made from a highly durable plastic compound in place of wood, they also provide the same degree of flexibility that you would get using wooden sleeper, some of the newer Tomix Fine Track points have the synthetic sleepers.