u/aengusoglugh

BWBW Test

Before I actually screwed down the track for my crossover models, I wanted make sure that switching the module feeds for the Yellow track -- so that the layout was now BWBW -- worked as advertised -- or making sure that what I was doing would work.

I have been known to fat finger even the simplest task. :-)

So I hooked everything up and ran my NCTD Sprinter.

I won't say that I was shocked when everything worked -- but I was pretty happy.

The Sprinter does a loop on the Yellow track, then moves to the Red track and does a loop on the Red track, and then moves back to the Yellow track.

As a note, the track for the crossover modules (2 #6 turnouts, one left set and one right set) is just resting on the modules, and has not been wired. All of the power is going to the corner modules.

So I have lot of work yet to go to get this operational -- but at least I know the wiring is fundamentally sound. :-)

https://preview.redd.it/3nb2rw63iibh1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=acaf2179f38032a525767dc863bc52ea957e88d8

Since I have these one of these Kato turnout switches available, I might use it temporarily to control my turnouts until I get to a more permanent solution.

I think that they are intended onto the side of a Kato power back, but I would link like to connect a 9v battery to the switch.

Does anyone know what kinds of connectors these are, or where I might find some?

I have a crossover that consists of two Kato #6 turnouts on my T-TRAK module.

My eventual plan is to use LCC and 15 vdc auxiliary power to control the turnout.

I was going to control them manually, but realize I have one of those blue lever Kato turnout control switches. Now I am thinking that maybe I could wire a 9v battery -- or 2 in series if I need 18v -- to that switch and control the turnouts that way until I get the LCC node set up.

Is this likely to work? Any concern about burning out the solenoid?

I confess -- I am an HO scale T-TRAKer who thinks that Unitram looks very, very cool.

And I don't expect Kato is likely to come out with HO scale any time in the near future.

But was looking at the Kato Unitram specs, and it looks like double Unitram curves are 213mm/180mm, and I think the Z T-TRAK corner modules have radii of 220 mm/195 mm.

So could you build a modular Unitram setup using Klawndyke Z scale module kits?

I confess -- I am an HO scale T-TRAKer who thinks that Unitram looks very, very cool.

And I don't expect Kato is likely to come out with HO scale any time in the near future.

But was looking at the Kato Unitram specs, and it looks like double Unitram curves are 213mm/180mm, and I think the Z T-TRAK corner modules have radii of 220 mm/195 mm.

So could you build a modular Unitram setup using Klawndyke Z scale module kits?

When I started building my modules, I assumed that the way T-TRAK worked was then when there was a show, individual owners would consult with with whoever designed the layout, and the day before the show, every one would being their own modules and we would put together the layout. When the show ended, we would take all our modules home.

My impression from helping with tear down after the last show was that some of the modules were club owned -- but I may also be confused.

Is a club owning some modules pretty common?

If so, why?

Do club own module because some long time member owned them and passed away, and passed them on to the club?

Does the club own modules because there are modules -- say inside corner modules -- that are not very popular to build -- but almost every layout needs some?

Are there other reasons I haven't considered?

Or am I likely just confused -- that it's very rare for clubs to own modules?

I am building a modern DMU/Railcar transit system T-TRAK home layout.

I am modeling an affluent transit system, and I would like some vaguely art deco street stops, and a glass ceiling train shed that spans both tracks appears to fill the bill.

I have had hard time determining the height of the platforms above the rail it this model.

I am aiming at 6.3 mm in HO, and Gemini tells me that the platforms are 12 mm above the baseboard, and that the of the rails of Kato HO Code 83 Unitrack is 9.4 mm above the baseboard,

If that is correct, the Faller platforms are 2.6 mm above the Unitrack rails, so I will need to shim the platforms just under 4mm.

I am not at home right now -- but the math looks like it makes sense.

Any comments or thoughts about this plan?

Gemini is AI -- which means it could just be making stuff up.

So I am looking for a sanity check. :-)

Does anyone have experience with this model?

These look petty cool to me. I was interest that they offer a home layout bundle — not completely different from what I am building in
HO.

I am envious of the variety of choices N scale kits!

I am happy with the CMR kits I have been using, and I have heard nothing but great things about Stuart Denniston’s modules — but it would be very cool to see this kind of variety in HO. :-)

I will add PMR to the wiki.

Anyone have any experience with PMR kits?

I am getting way ahead of myself — I am still laying track — but I have watched several YouTube videos on weathering and ballasting Unitrack. Practice seems to be all over the place.

Some people weather the track, some people add additional ballast, and some people do both.

I have also observed modules where I think people did neither.

I don’t judge any of that — people are attracted to different aspects of this hobby.

I am very interested in how many people in this subreddit do either, neither, or both.

I also probably more interested in why you do whatever you do — is your practice mainly based on your skills/and or motivation — or are their practical considerations about transport and show that I have yet to encounter?

I would also like to hear first hand tips — I think I have watched a dozen videos on YouTube, but I would also enjoy hearing any tips here.

View Poll

I have added these HO, N, and Z scale flairs for posts that are scale specific.

I haven't added them previously in part because I haven't thought them necessary.

I have learned a lot about buses, wiring, and working with Unitrack from the guy in both of my local T-TRAK clubs, even though they are both N scale, and I am working in HO scale.

I also haven't used them previously because I am also a new mod.

I will create other scale flairs on request -- though I will want to see a picture of 48" radius O scale corner module before I created that flair. :-)

The flairs are optional, users can use the as they see fit.

Let me know what you think.

https://preview.redd.it/aw6cbbmjlr8h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ed57f9a09614d66225e181d9f86da78c65fd003

https://preview.redd.it/bgpzvamjlr8h1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9b37d1e2e6b6fe939167b216b495f5b658f8485b

I don't know if this is specific to HO scale Unitrack crossovers, or if the same us true for N scale, but the crossover come with two short bits of straight track that let the crossover fit correctly into Kato's "unit length" for the scale -- the length of a full straight -- 246 mm in HO, and I think 248 mm in N.

The little straight pieces -- S97 and S94 in HO -- and I think their equivalents for a #4 N scale switch S60L and S64 in N -- have detachable "shoulder" to fit the various crossover configurations. It looks to me like the detachable shoulders aren't needed for a #6 N scale turnout.

The shoulders snap in place solidly, but I assume that for a permanent installation, I would want to glue them in place.

Do people generally glue them in place?

If so, what kind of glue do you recommend? A solvent, Super Glue, etc.?

https://preview.redd.it/9m46uekb8k8h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e94a2f6951c8aa8b58731e16f024218020f8ae2b

Someone on Facebook said they photocopied Unitrack to make templates to drill screw holes for attaching track from the bottom.

Tape the photocopy to the base and drill the holes. The location of the screw studs are crystal clear.

I like that a lot -- I think that I wished I had thought of that before I made may acrylic templates.

This will be a lot easier in N scale than H scale -- you can get a lot more N scale track on 8½ x 11 than HO scale -- but I think it's a really clever idea.

I was concerned about durability -- but if you can make another perfectly accurate template whenever you need, maybe durability is not an issue?

You would need to make sure that you photocopied a left hand turnout when you wanted a right and vice versa -- the photocopy is a reverse image because its from the bottom looking up instead of the top looking down, and you will be drilling down, not up.

Are there any drawbacks I am not seeing?

I really don't need to mount my water bottle on the boom clamps. I wonder if there is a much smaller clamp -- ideally made a set of smaller quick release clamps that will serve the same purpose?

I also notice that there is a metal tube -- pretty substantial-- sticking straight back from my left disks break -- or maybe it's the left axle mount. Is it intended for mounting something?

#6 turnout template

This is a picture of a #6 turnout mounted on a ¼" piece of clear acrylic that I can now use for drilling mounting holes accurately in my modules.

I like mounting Untrack from below with screws into the provided posts. I generally buy module kits that are marked and pre-drilled.

But my double was not marked for a crossover, so I needed to drill my own holes.

I use a hybrid method to mark the holes in the acrylic. I tried the "dab some paint on the post" method, and that worked pretty well for three of the holes. But the second hole form the left isn't really a post that sticks out -- it a hole in the plate that covers the turnout mechanism. You can see that the paint smeared.

So I drilled the three clearly marked holes on my drill press, mounted the turnout to the acrylic, and then used a punch to mark the 4th hole.

I had to fiddle a bit -- with a ¼", there is a fair amount of parallax.

Then I drilled out that hole, laid the acrylic on the turnout, and sighted everything.

The holes I had drilled were lined up perfectly with the holes on the turnout and the end holes on the tracks on either side.

That might not be much of a cause for celebration for some of you -- but not all of my "smarter than the average bear" solutions work. 😄

And my ability to miss-measure in general seems to be far greater than my ability to measure accurately.

So I am tickled pink.

I am using double modules for my HO scale crossovers -- unfortunately, Kato doesn't make a double crossover in HO scale.

I assume that the double module would come marked and drilled for 4 "full straight" tracks sections, since an HO scale doubles had a track length of 984 mm.

My half-baked plan was to attach the full straights at either end of module, and hope that would hold the crossovers in place.

But doubles are drilled for alternating 339 mm and 123 mm sections -- so the holes don't line up.

I know people will drill down through the Unitrack to locate the stater hole, but I would as soon not do that.

I found these roll pins on Amazon, and 5/64" = 0078125", while the #2 screws the fit the screw mounting holes in the Unitrack are .086.

My thought is to put these pins in the mounting holes slide the track into place on the layout, and then tap lightly on the track over the mounting holes to mark where to drill the holes for the screws.

Any thoughts on how well this will work?

At the last -- and so far only -- show where I helped tear downs layout, one of the guys had was looked like a long piece of hex sided rod for unscrewing the leveler up into the modules before they were stored.

That was pretty cool, and very fast.

Is this pretty common?

Where do I get some of that rod? Am I like to find ⅛" hex rod at my local hardware store?

For my first set of T-TRAK modules, I through bolted the wiring terminal blocks to the plywood -- see the photos.

That was perfectly functional, but I am thinking of doing something different with next set of modules -- ¾" scrap lumber blocks screwed and glued to the ¼" plywood, and the terminal blocs screwed to the those blocks.

I'd be interested in seeing how other people attache terminal blocks to thin plywood.

https://preview.redd.it/ssektco9006h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8dd934e5db8f885b83e2530bfbae28c13b4c50bf

https://preview.redd.it/a9to6do9006h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8cdd1d144f342551becc776c3ac1f2123229b750

My double module kits arrived yesterday, and when it arrived, I noticed it marked and drilled for a staggered track sections -- instead of being marked for 4 equal length track sections.

In HO, the track length of single module is 2x "fundamental track length (246 mm x 2 = 492 mm) -- I guess that's not true in N scale, where a single module track length (310 mm) is not an even multiple of the fundamental track length (248) mm.

On the double module, the red track was "1.5 x fundament track length + .5 x fundamental track length + 1.5x fundamental track length + . 5 x fundamental track length"; the yellow track was ".5 x fundamental track length + 1.5x fundamental track length + . 5 x fundamental track length + 1.5 x fundament track length."

The effect was to stagger the track joints -- if each track section was equal length,, the track joint would have been in the same position on the red and yellow tracks.

Anyone care to hazard a guess as to whether this was a an aesthetic decision -- to avoid having the track sections line up? Or was there like some other consideration that hasn't occurred to me?