Kato track plans & advice please

[GWR_XC]

Hello

Apologies if this is in the wrong section

Looking for some ideas / good Kato track plans if anyone has any to share ?

Also regarding Kato points, I have been reading on another forumthat certain points are prone to loco derailment, if so which points are best to use ?

Lastly, joining two points together to make a crossover can be problematic with the plastic ballast getting in the way, I assume the way round this is too cut some of the plastic ballast off to make it fit ?

Cheers

[OffshoreAlan]

... I assume the way round this is too cut some of the plastic ballast off to make it fit ?...

Yes. As an example, #4 points come with additional pieces to bring outgoing track parallel, and as you can see from the illustration, one piece has the plastic ready-cut.  Additional cuts can of course be made if required, taking care not to compromise the integrity of the track bed.

#6 points presumably can be similarly treated although I have no experience/knowledge in this case.

[keerout]

this helpt me some:
http://www.sumidacrossing.org/ModelTrains/TrackandRoadbed/KatoUnitrack/KatoViaductsandTrack/
Gerard 

[cornish yorkie]

 
     Euston ,  the `6` points  by Kato are longer 186 mm, considered to be almost fail safe & need no alteration or extra pieces.
     For lots of Kato track advice go down to the `Track & Underlay section, first two posts are just for `Kato`.
          stay safe regards Derek  (a very happy `Kato` user)

[njee20]

The problem with the #6 points is they give a distance between parallel tracks of roughly 2 metres. They're far better than the #4s though, which I find poor.

[mca0004]

In regards to the track plan; may I recommend AnyRail?

It's a software used to plan out model railways. I personally use it all the time. It's got tons of tracks from all sorts of manufacturers and in all sorts of gauges. Including Kato N.

You can download a free demo, which has all the content and features of the full version, just with a track piece limit of 50.

[GWR_XC]

Thank you to everyone who replied, it's appreciated

I will have alook at the Kato section on these boards and look into anyrail - can it be used on a mobile device?

Regarding Kato points & parallel track, so if I were to connect two #4 points on parallel track - this can be problematic?

So the solution is to use #6 points ? But like njee20 says - it creates a gap between the tacks which is not ideal.

What about those ready made Kato single & double cross over tracks - are they more reliable?

Thanks again for everyone's advice, it's greatly appreciated

[dannyboy]

Kato single & double cross over tracks - are they more reliable?

As regards the double crossover tracks, I had two on 'Averingcliffe' and they were a joy to use. All four points move at the same time with one throw of the switch. The only time I encountered a problem was when I had done some ballasting - whatever you do, keep glue and bits of ballast well away from the little switch cut outs! If ballasting in the area of any Kato point, cover the switch cut out with a bit of masking tape or similar. 

[Newportnobby]

Also regarding Kato points, I have been reading on another forumthat certain points are prone to loco derailment, if so which points are best to use ?

Sadly, derailments do happen on the #4 points with some stock, but Mike Fifer (North American modelling guru) shows how to modify them.............


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRNAsbz-JqI

I believe the same issue does not apply to #6 points but they are far larger and thus take up more space

[Railwaygun]

Kato threads here

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?board=131.0

I've never had problems with #4 points, with us/uk/euro/ japanese stock.

However for those of us who like running / playing trains, it's ideal! ) rather than glueing one's s beard to the scenery!

[GWR_XC]

Thank you dannyboy and Newport Nobby

That's great to hear about the double crossover, and yes I actually being reading something you written in another topic of the forum dannyboy today funnily enough about ballasting Kato track and how you use a tiny blob of pva glue to hold track in place, so thanks, there is great advice from you which I definitely will be doing aswell

And thanks for the video, I'll take alot, but will avoid those #4 points if possible unless it's absolutely essential

Now I just need to find and settle on a good track plan

Cheers

[GWR_XC]

Kato threads here

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?board=131.0

Thanks railwalgun

That's encouraging to know #4 points can be problematic free.

I don't plan on doing anything too complicated, just like to be able to switch trains from track to track and few sidings


I've never had problems with #4 points, with us/uk/euro/ japanese stock.

However for those of us who like running / playing trains, it's ideal! ) rather than glueing one's s beard to the scenery!

[Malc]

The only issue I have had with the crossover is when I accidentally operated it with a loco on it. I use levers to activate my points and picked the wrong one. There is a bit of spring steel that flicks the rail across. It fits in a small loop on the underside of the rail and as the rail couldn't move, it sprung out. It was very fiddly to get it back.

[GWR_XC]

Malc thanks for that, I can only imagine how tricky it must of been trying to put a tiny spring back into the mechanism, not something I would ever want to do.

The levers you use, are they the blue Kato ones,? As I was planning on using them and will have to be extra careful I don't do the same as you as I know I wouldn't have the patience to attempt to fix the point if it got damaged

[dannyboy]

@Euston
Just going off at a bit of a tangent, if you ever wanted to try something different to the blue Kato point switches, a mini DPDT, (centre off) switch can be used - and they are a lot smaller.  They are ideal if you want to operate things from a flat panel.