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N scale yard plan - Kato switch length?

Started by minnesota_hobbyist, June 12, 2022, 03:02:30 PM

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minnesota_hobbyist

Hi all,

Working on T-Trak modules. New to AnyRail, getting the hang of it a little. Here's my draft yard plan.

My question is: it seems the Kato switch lengths don't quite match up with the regular track lengths. I built a ladder, and by the end of it, the difference builds up quite a bit.

You can see I want to have everything end cleanly at the end of a module, so I can connect and disconnect them.

Should I be planning to cut some sections of track, or will the Kato unitrack modules actually line up OK?

Alos, here are my thoughts about how operations would work in this yard plan. Any comments or suggestions are very welcome!

(Any corrections to my use of railroading terms would be much appreciated. I'm not the expert, just trying to use the right words and follow along with what I've read elsewhere.)

Thanks much! Brian

VictorPM

#1
Hi Brian,
Can't you see the logic in that yourself?
You can't lay the same track length both straight and diagonally and expect them to stay lined up.

Greetings, Victor

Edit: disregard what I wrote earlier, I wrote it before studying the railsystem you use properly.
Studying is what I'm doing right now (in Anyrail) and I discovered already that the system with tracks 20000/20020/20030/20040 and points 20220/20221 is a bit tricky ;-)

VictorPM

OK so the straight track 20020 is 124mm long (half of 20000 248mm) and the points 20220/20221 are 126mm long.
The idea behind it was probably: when you add two points with the curved ends together, the total length is 248mm, just like the crossovers 20230/20231.

So- if you want to compensate for the points being 2mm "too long", then you need a straight track which is 2mm "too short". 248-126 = 122mm.
Ideal from the Anyrail catalogue would be the tracks S60L or S60R, which are 60mm long. Together with 20040 (62mm) they make the needed 122mm.
I have no idea though if these tracks with old numbers S60L or S60R are still available.



 

minnesota_hobbyist

So that's what I'm doing wrong! Thanks much. I missed that detail.

The tracks are available as part of a siding set at least, and they have a small cutout to let them nestle beside the turnout's curved track. S60L and S60R, see photo.

It looks like the pair are included with the #4 turnout package. I also got them with the V4 switching siding set.

Thanks! Brian

VictorPM

#4
Ah, so that's why there are S60L and S60R. I had no idea... when making layouts with Anyrail I always ignore things like sleepers and roadbed  ;D
That's my lack of practice. The last actual layout I had built myself was 30 years ago. I use Anyrail just for the fun of it, and maybe to help someone if I can.
I hope that doesn't ruin all the work I put into this last evening... I spent some time trying to recreate your layout with everything lined up perfectly - by using loads of S60L just for their length of 60mm! But if they come with that roadbed cut, 2/4/6 of them in line will not look good...

Weird, because you would need them also to compensate for the uncoupler 20032 which is also 2mm "too long". And for points laid out diagonally...  ???

Anyway. See what you think of my attempt. Bottom line: it's not compulsary to keep everything lined up at all costs  ;)

Greetings, Victor

Kato unitrack example yard.any

minnesota_hobbyist

Wow that is truly generous of you! Thanks!

I had just started to try that myself and discovered the uncoupler at 64mm. I think I could disguise the cutout if I needed to, but it is frankly weird that Kato would make the uncoupler 64mm, instead of 62!

Were they thinking they would always be used in a pair, like S60L 60mm + uncoupler 20032 64mm, which would make up their more standard length of 124mm?

If you are going to do something like a passing siding with uncouplers, you need things to line up at either end.

Fun to play with, trying to get it to work for T-Trak modules anyway. Thanks for the help!

Brian