Building a yard from KATO parts

[Abushoni]

Hello All,

 

I am trying to build the same structure as the one in the black rectangle in attached image. this is the HO scale from KATO catalog. I would like to build it in N scale from KATO parts and as a newbie find it hard to identify the exact parts. I'd thank you If anyone here has experience with KATO tracks and can guide me what parts I need in order to build the part within the two  red lines.     

 

Thank you in advacne,

 

Abushoni

[mr bachmann]

I would say 5  , number 4 or 6 Kato turnouts - but do your homework and check on ‘for and against’ 

on Kato turnouts , both have been good and bad , other Kato fans will offer their advice .

 

[cteno4]

Unitrack has two sized points, shorter, sharper radius #4 points (20-221 right and 20-220 Left) and longer (lower radius) #6 points (20-202 left and 20-203 right). The shorter #4 are nice for tighter spaces as shorter and harder radius lets you make a parallel track with 33mm track spacing. But the #4 are a tad more problematic to some wheels picking the point. This can vary a lot with the track layout and trains (longer trains tend to not like the sharp curves, especially the S curve a point makes to create 2 parallel tracks). This can be mitigated some by doing some filing on the track to make pockets for the point blades. As Mr Bachmann notes it’s not a defined result, it varies a lot. The longer #6 points take more room and end up with a with 49.5mm track spacing on the parallel tracks if you use the r718 curve used in the #6 point. The #6 points are very reliable, but at the cost of more room needed.

 

here are a few useful docs to start to see the Kato unitrack geometries and parts needed

 

https://katousa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/V11-Guide.pdf

https://katousa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Download-N-Tracklist.pdf

 

 

If you want some track planning software ideas check out the KatoUSA site and the Kato Japan site.

 

Also might want to look at track planning software to help you play with track ideas. There are several options out there and some free for limited number of track pieces or some can’t save until some money is paid. If you are Mac then options limited to railmodeler (paid) or open source xtrakcad (free but requires some fiddling to use x windows) without running a pc emulator.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[inobu]

Here is the link to a very good Software tool. Anyrail

 

You can download it and try it for free. It has a 50 piece limit.

 

Inobu

 

[Kingmeow]

If you need more than 50 pieces, take a look at XtrkCAD.  It's free, has no limits and has Atlas, Kato and Tomix track libraries.

[inobu]

4 hours ago, Kingmeow said:

If you need more than 50 pieces, take a look at XtrkCAD.  It's free, has no limits and has Atlas, Kato and Tomix track libraries.

Hard to beat Free....lol

 

Inobu

[Abushoni]

Thank you all. As a Mac user I went with RailmodellerPro which also has lots of KATO libraries and tons of user defined maps. 

 

Abushoni

[inobu]

Software is the way to go.....Make sure to set up your grid into good reference squares.

 

Being in the U.S. my eyes are set for feet. So I set up my grids in 304mm square.

 

Inobu

[cteno4]

Abushoni,

 

Good, railmodeler is good software, I would rate it in the top group. Pretty intuitive, but take notes as all track planning software has little steps to do the usual things that you will forget easily if you don’t use if for a few weeks so a cheat sheet is nice to get going again fast. Ui use to use xtrakcad on my mac for years and it is not initiative so this was really necessary. But railmodeler is much easier. It’s been supported pretty well over the years. And the only easy Mac option.

 

As you get some track start putting it down and playing with the ideas as much as you can in real as this is a very different experience from 2d cas work from overhead. It’s sort of a yin and yang process going back and forth. I’ve done plenty of stuff in 2d that I thought was great in my head views but once I tired parts with track, train and some structures I decided yeuch! The more you play with real track the more you learn what you like and don’t like (sometimes more important), what causes issues with equipment, and then you get better at the 2d design. Back and forth.

 

have fun!

 

jeff

[Abushoni]

Hello Jeff,

 

Yes, the map is not the territory. I think messing with planning software and my IKEA based platform will allow me to try different things. Maybe this constantly changing model is the thing for me and not a specific "right" model I need to find. In any case, playing with planning software, making actual physical models, virtual rail modeling, running trains and reading may help me understand what I want from this hobby...

 

In another hobby of mine, photography, there is a term called GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) where amateur photographers feel compelled to keep buy additional cameras and lenses even when they have more than enough to take great pictures. I fear that as I try to decipher this hobby I already suffer from TAS (Train Acquisition Syndrome). The new KATO 2025 Catalog does not help. 

 

Thanks,

 

Abushoni

Edited 6 hours ago by Abushoni

[cteno4]

Abushoni,

 

lol well usually TAS comes from way too many cool Japanese trains that get made! But there is all sorts of vehicles, buildings, electronics, tracks, etc  that can also add to it fast as well! You are wise to do the whole cycle of play and planning, it pays off well and can accelerate interest (and spending) and open place you thought you might not go before and make clear the things you just don’t like and find ways to avoid those.

 

You might take a look at this article about making little scenery islands to liven up temporary setups and make buildings more real looking. Simple way to not only liven up temp setups but to also learn how to do scenery techniques. Learning then doing a little bit of scenery is the best ways as if you screw up or a technique just doesn’t work for you it’s no big loss, easily scraped off and redone. It’s really the ultimate way to learn scenery and it’s the part of the hobby that is a real hands thing where some techniques just sing to your hands and eyes while others may not. This can be a big frustration for many, especially when they just go and dive into the deep end of the pool on it to fast on a layout. It’s the place where you see layout stall the most. It’s also a fun way to just keep testing new scenery techniques and create something useful and then you can use it as a comparison to other techniques to see what you want to use on something in the future.

 

looking forward to seeing your ikea table rr!

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[RS18U]

TAS, I know I have it 😁