After a passing siding add-on for my first Unitrack oval, the next track I bought was an up and over figure 8 set. I've been playing with various folded/twisted dog-bones ever since!
Now I use track planning software, but it was its own satisfying kind of fun to play with the physical track pieces, seeing what worked, fit, etc. to make a layout on the fly. Unitrack's variety of pieces, especially curve radii, switches* and crossovers, and bullet-proof reliability, make it fun to "get one's hands dirty" laying track on the fly, then run on it and see how you like it first-hand. The added bonus, and variety, of viaduct trackage and graduated piers makes it possible to experiment in so many ways, not being limited to a level, planar layout. Then when you do get the terrain built to support the track, you can simply remove those track pieces from their housings and lay them on the terrain. *I just wish they had curved switches like Tomix, though the Tomix pieces are easily adapted and incorporated in a Unitrack layout.
With using Unitrack, I used the Woodland Scenics risers and 1/2" foam insulation board to good effect. Just make sure to put easements in on the start and end of the riser.
I have heard that us Unitrack users cheat. I was wondering just which track was really good. I tried Bachmann, Atlas, Micro Engineering and I was talking with Mike Fifer at the show in Arizona and started using some of the track and turnouts from the Unitrack. I figure out that Mike had lots of experience and i was seeing others using Unitrack so i figured it can't be all that bad. My layout is all Unitrak but for my big trestle along the back wall. I used a 36" of Atlas flex track. So far i have had no issues. Andy has the same question i had. Why don't they make curved turnouts? I also wonder why they show that they make flex track. Can't get it or i haven't seen any. Mike don't stock it. So thats my only beef about Unitrack.Don't bring out the clubs, Take my word for it that i am in enough pain. I have a couple more weeks till i see the new doctor for my hands. Just the little work i did on the layout set my fingers on fire and i had pain that took about 3 days to stop hurting. Enough about my hands. I am ordering more track as i can and when i have the list filled maybe the doctor will be able to fix my hands.I want to get on with the build. Cover up the pink..
I ended up ordering Kato Through ebay, and have several pieces of track coming. The #6 turnouts were only $22.00 each. So, i got more stuff coming in. I found a site on Ebay that will ship free. You buy the piece and pay price plus tax from Japan. Gonna keep him in mind with anything Kato.I need to get some of the stuff off the floor and make a way for me to work on the back side of the layout. Got to get the track off the tunnel entrance. Getting the tunnel fixed up ti the way i need. One of the biggest issues is a door to let me into the tunnel area so i can clear out derails and stuff like that.More later, Smoke
Yep I have used Kato for all the layout. Its 99.89 Kato. There is one piece of Atlas that i couldn't use Kato on.
The big trestle i have didn't need gravel on it. That trestle is over 18 inches long and i never saw a bridge like that having gravel ballast. I was looking for a supplier of the Kato flex track i had heard of. I couldn't find it back then so i went with a piece of flex track. It works but, i would have used Kato in a heartbeat. Even Walthers was out . they listed it but was out of stock.I may have caught it at a bad time but thats the way it went. In the next few days as soon as i can get some of the stuff off the floor i am moving the layout out away from the wall and doing some work on the trestle. I keep putting it off but i need to get it done
None of the Unitrack bridges/trestles have ballast. Their viaducts do. But you are correct, Kato does not sell the bridge track used in their bridges/trestles separately, and purchasing their bridges just to rob the track (though easily removed) out of them, is not economical.
Yep. I have Three Bridges to prove it. The last three i have are two from Atlas and One was hand laid from short Kato pieces. That one came out good but is just about 5 inches so i was able to do it from scratch. The other two i used Atlas as they were longer pieces. One was the big trestle and the other was a 6 inch piece i had left over from the long turnout. It looks great anyway. the other bridges were stock Kato. That 6 inch one is on the upper track too but over by the mountain leading to the logging camp. Its about halfway hidden. I will show a shot of it in a few. Got to leave windows so i can get to my pictures
Here are a couple of shots of that other little trestle. People are going to be confused about my use of windows. There are 3 games and scarm installed on a copy of windows 10 pro. Sometimes i get a bit lazy about going back to restart so i can get back to linux. Other than the 4 program/games, i use the home site which is Linux. I use linux for everything but what won't work in linux. The games and one program only work in windows, so i broke out the cd for windows and bought another M.2 to hold windows. Its easier to keep windows from shutting me out from using there software for just a few things. I don't think they know i am running it with two drives and one has there junk and the other my junk. I only use it maybe 2-3 times a week mainly for the games. I needed it for Scarm as it will not work in the different windows emulators that Linux has. I only had windows for 3-4 months and this computer started on linux two years ago. Its getting older but it works great for me. I run a b550 with a 5600 ryzen and 16 gigs of ram. This thing is super fast in linux but it does let me know when i am in windows. It lags in windows.Anyway, There it is.
I'm not critical enough to care about un/ballasted ties/spacing. I will be using both unitrack bridges and viaducts on my layout. I need the curved viaducts for some the plan trackage, but I plan to paint the viaduct housings and piers black. My unitrack through-truss bridge is silver. Still trying to decide whether I want it to be black or not.
I got to see the doctor yesterday. I am now wearing braces on both hands. I have no idea how long i will be wearing these "handcuffs" !!! If i try and make a fist it hurts bad. My fingers i can bend but i can't the thumb. They told me i have Arthritis in my hands but i have calcification on my thumbs and he said he wants me in in a month to 6 weeks. So, I am putting a plastic tarp over the layout and everything is on hold for now. I am gonna get the rest of the track and plaster and plaster cloth and getting it as ready to do as soon as i am out of the braces and am somewhat healed.SO i won't post here till i know something. You all have a good one. Laters
