Track

[flaretired]

I am going with code 80 and want to know a couple of things. 1: Do you put track directly on the wood or use a road bed? If you use road bed how to you line up your buildings.IE: round house, stations Etc. 2: What is the best way to clean old track? 3: Should all rail joiners be soddered? 4: At what point in time should the joiners be soddered? When all track is layed or as you lay it? 5: Is a 40 watt pencil tip iron to hot? 6: Does anybody now anything about the new cold tip soddering iron?

[ginzokid]

Chuck, My answer still stands. B-)

[flaretired]

Got my Kato double crossover. Question. It has only two wires coming out of the switch, red and black. I thought all switches needed three. How do I hook it up? I use DCC for my switches and it takes three wires for the decoder. Red, Black, and Green. Chuck.

[ginzokid]

Chuck, You have me stumped. What do the instructions say that came with it? No instructions? Call Kato USA. B-)

[flaretired]

Call me stupid but I just got my flex track today and I am stumped. There is no room for the rail joiners. The track is cut even with the last tie. How do you join the track together?? Pete. Kato USA has a Japaneese long distance phone number. No listing for the states. Chuck

[dl85vette]

Didn't ya get the steel plates and bolts to join them like the real track? use a pair of cutters and snip off one or two ties from the ends. Flexmaster D

[beastranger]

Chuck I usualy cut off two ties for the connectors at each end, save the ties so you can slide them back in place after the track is installed. You have to shave off the little clips on the ties that hold the track to reinsert them. If you view the track from the sides you will notice that on one side the ties are separated and connected on the other side. The separated side goes on the inside of a curve. You will also notice on the separated side that the rail will slide back and forth (assuming Atlas track) once you have cut the ties, same thing that goes on the inside of curves. I like to start a curve with a piece of sectional track of the correct radious. Then connect the flex track to that and lay it around the curve (I use T-pins to hold it temporarialy). Now you will notice that the end of the inside rail is longer than the outside rail, take your cutters and snip the inside rail to the same length as the outside (you may have to file the end a bit). Connect the next piece of track and you are on your way. Go back and spike or glue the track down, I prefer spikes if I have to move anything. Don't forget to leave tiny gaps in the connections to allow for expansion. I'll use used connectors for laying out the track and then install new ones for the permanant connection. Doug

[g-pa1]

Doug thanks for the instructions on using flex track on curves. I've always tried to connect the track without snipping the longer end and ended up frustrated. I therefore only used the flextrack for straight runs as then the rails are even. Wish I 'd known this earlier. Gene

[flaretired]

Doug, thanks that's helps me alot. Was wondering how you fixed the gap when you cut the ties. Chuck 🙂

[ginzokid]

Chuck, What Doug said and one addition. When laying curves, leave about 8" of the track straight at the end. Then take the next piece of flex and join it to the partially curved section, both pieces being straight through the joint, then solder the rail joiners in place, and finally continue the curve. That is why you take off at least two ties from each end. You can leave unsoldered "expansion joints" at the straight sections or turnouts, but the soldered curves will be smoother and less prone to develop kinks as you lay it out. TheFlexFadda

[ginzokid]

PS: Chuck, Go to www.katousa.com to email them with questions. Also, look on your Kato parts inserts with any Kato product. There might be a phone number there. B-)

[flaretired]

I did some testing on my own. You need a momentary contact switch. The crossover runs on AC. You press the contact once and it opens, press again it closes. It also works with DC but you need spdt for reversing polarity. Also it is a snap type switch. Really works nice and hardly any noise. Chuck 🙂

[flaretired]

Just found out Kato switches work with DC only. AC will burn out the switch, that is why there are only two wires. Kato makes a power supply just for their switches. Now I have to rewire it for DC. Also most of Kato switches are not DCC friendly I just found out also. I sure hope mine is. Have no way of knowing until I run a engine over it. Half an hour later. Anybody need a Kato double crossover? It is not DCC friendly. As long as you do not use the switch your fine. Once the engine crosses over to the other track it shuts down everything. I put it into my test track to check it, sure glad I did. Thank god I did not cut that plug off when I hooked up to see how it worked. Sure hope I can get back what I bought it for. The store on eBay only had a five day return so I can't return it to them. Chuck

[dl85vette]

relist it on ebay and hope you should get most of it back minus your shipping charges..

[ginzokid]

Chuck, Here is a quote from KATO USA: "Can you make some comments about the use of DCC with Kato products in general, and with Unitrack specifically? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digital Command Control (DCC) is moving along for the enhanced enjoyment of model railroading by hobbyists. Although Kato has been at the forefront to manufacture products with DCC Friendly design, we realize that it is sometimes necessary for hobbyists to require further technical support from professionals. In these instances, the hobbyist should visit the shop he purchased merchandise from for dedicated consultation and service to achieve his needs. A list of Kato Recommended Unitrack Dealers may help you find out the shop offers both Unitrack and DCC products. With regards to the use of Unitrack with DCC, there is a capacity of DC12V3A built into the product line. The quality construction of Unitrack and reliable rail connection provided by the Unijoiner assure that the DCC signal is dependably transmitted. Unitrack turnouts use a bi-polar solenoid drive for reliable operation. To switch the turnout digitally, be sure to choose a DCC turnout decoder that supports the bi-polar drive. Digitrax recommends their DS52 or DS51K1 stationary decoder for operation of Kato Unitrack turnouts. Some Unitrack components such as the Automatic Crossing Gate and 3-Color Signal were designed with DC operation only." According to this then, your crossover should work and not short out when the loco crosses from one side to the other. Check with your LHS to see if they can help you. Also, Peco makes a double crossover that I know works with DCC. You would have to buy four switch machines to power it though and they can all be thrown by one stationary decoder in DCC. When all else fails, ebay! B-)

[ginzokid]

Chuck, I called KATO for you and received the following email reply: "Good morning: Sorry to have missed your call. Short circuits involving the double crossover are the result of reverse loop. This applies to both DC and DCC. The backing that comes with the switch, opens out twice its size, and includes a lot of useful information in setting up the switch. You must have ALL four switches either set to divert into the crossing, OR, ALL four switches set for straight through. It's OK for you to give me a call back. Best time would be between 4:30 and 5 PM today. Before that, I will be involved in a project that I won't be able to take leave of. Best regards, Dee Gilbert, Repairs KATO USA, Inc. repairs@katousa.com http://www.katousa.com" In other words, there must be some info inside the packaging that you missed and the note above about the switch setting is interesting too. Hope this helps. TheAnswerFadda B-)