Kato Unitram Track Availability

[brill27mcb]

I should soon have a Kato Unitram basic set in my hands, so I have been searching around, looking at layouts people have made and the availability of more Unitram track and street pieces. It surprised me how little Unitram is in stock anywhere right now. Hopefully Kato will do new production runs in the near future as manufacturing, business and shipping situations improve. In the meantime I am casting about and will put an ad in our Wanted section.

 

Rich K.

[bill937ca]

Turnouts have been hit and miss for quite some time.

[James-SNMB]

Curves have been missing for a couple of years too.

 

I have to think there will be some new production at some point here, given the launch of the greenmover trams last year and the starter sets, etc. But everything seems difficult right now, so we might just have to keep waiting. Hopefully not forever.

[brill27mcb]

Thanks, Bill. As James mentions, it was the number of unavailable items that surprised me. I had not followed Kato Unitram closely on Hobby Search Japan and other suppliers. So for example, if you want to add a pair of turnouts to the basic set, you probably also need 2 inside curve street sections for them, plus 2 62mm track straights, and then maybe the 2 complementary 45-degree curve track sections, too. When you can't get all of that from a single place, or can't find some of it at all, that's a problem (and extra shipping cost). We'll see what the future brings...

 

I have to note that my researching proved to me that our JNS Forum is the leading online site for useful Unitram info, at least in English. The informational posts, the layout designs various people have shared, and some very clever ideas are all here. Bill's use of the grid-topped plastic shelf units under the Unitram  plates, so all the wires can be simply dropped down through the grid and hooked up underneath, keeping the streets level, is sheer genius! Using the track sections without the street side additions to make a more compact layout with narrower streets is also a valuable option for people to keep in mind.

 

Rich K.

Edited December 12, 2021 by brill27mcb

[bill937ca]

Thanks, Rich. I now have two plastic shelf unit layouts. One Kato Unitram and one Tomix Wide Tram.  Much easier to work with than heavy benchwork layouts.

[inobu]

Comical Track Part for sale......40-210 Left switch.........

 

Inobu

 

 

[bill937ca]

Holy turnout, Batman!!! Even before I looked I knew it was a Japanese dealer.

Edited October 21, 2022 by bill937ca

[Tonytramman]

... still awaiting one from May 2022, my Daughter ordered for me for my Birthday via a box sifter here in the UK, she was told the order is still in the system. I think it will end up over a year as there are still, 'supply chain issues'