Modifying Length of Kato Island Platform Set

[Jonathan]

My track plan includes provision for an island platform, very similar to that provided by the V1 track set, except it's 124mm shorter - i.e. the "long side" between the point straights consists of 3x248 and 1x124mm. I believe the island platform set needs 4x248mm on the long side.

 

So my question is how easy is it to modify the island platform set to allow for this, and how would you do it? Do I need to resort to scratch building?!

 

 

[cteno4]

I’ve just cut the straight platforms down to the desired size. I used my mini table saw, but any razor saw would do the trick. You loose the ability of them to pop together with s joiners, but I didnt find that a problem. They could be glued together. For cutting in half the old platforms you could whack right in half as it was 4 uprights for the roof so split down the middle evenly. The newer ones are 3 poles so going to be a little trickier. You could whack evenly around 2 poles to get your 124 but the pole spacing will be off from the 248 section. No real way around this unfortunately unless you were to take out all the poles and respace them all the way down the platform. Or no roof solves the problem.

 

jeff

[Jonathan]

Ok thanks. I guess if I wanted platform lighting I’d need to solder the rails together with short wires or similar- although I’m not decided on whether to do any lighting yet.

[cteno4]

Yep if you are using the lighted platforms yes. From what i remember it should not be too hard to fuse your cut off platform to a full one and just add some little jumpers. You might even be able to wedge in the wire ends somewhere on the power rails if you dont want to solder them.

 

you can cut with a hack saw to cut the plastic then metal. Just go flow and careful and cut a tad big. You can then sand it down clean. Easy way to get that flat and clean is to take a 10”piece of like 1x6 wood and put a small strip of wood across the piece of wood almost across the center and the end flush with one side of the larger piece of wood.. Put the platform on the wood against the strip of wood with just the bit of the bad end hanging out over the edge. You can then take a block of wood [like a small hunk of 2x4] with a piece of sandpaper over it and use the wood base to sand along its edge to squarely sand the platform edge. If you have access to a disc sander then it’s very easy to just ease the end of the platform onto the disc using the miter side to keep it perpendicular to the disc. Just go very slow.

 

Only issue will be the pole spacing. If you could you squeeze in another 45mm piece into your platform length you could chop the platform into 2/3 and pole spacing remains the same then all the way down. Otherwise you will need to chop about 10-15mm off one end then cut it the same length longer in the middle to get that center pole out at the end of the platform as it resided dead center in the 248.

 

jeff