Unitrack Layouts

absnut

Member
After two years of living the life of a nomad, wandering around this big, beautiful country, we have decided to buy a house, settle down, and do our RV-ing parttime. Therefore, it's layout time, again! When we sold our house two years ago, I had to tear down my 4th "major" layout, a 10' x 8' x 8' U-shaped one with two separate but interconnected mainlines. It was based on an HO layout by the Layout Doctor and, since I had some on hand, about 25% of it was Unitrack. It was bullet-proof in operation and acceptable in the looks department, with a little "touching up" so, I determined my next layout would be built with all Unitrack. I know many of you use this track to some degree, whether in part or totally. This brings me to a couple questions:

1. Have any of you utilized a published trackplan but adapted it to Unitrack?

2. Do any of you know a source for Unitrack trackplans either printed or on the net? (besides the simple deals Kato publishes)

Any help will be appreciated.

Dick
 

absnut

Member
:-D Yes, N scale this time (again!) I've been in N scale since 1967.... too many $$$ invested and too much equipment on hand to change. Besides, N scale is the oNly scale! :mrgreen:

Dick
 

TexDoc

New Member
With all the Unitrack available today, the track assortments, all the curve radius, bridges, transition track, almost any track plan can be adapted to Unitrack. Find one you like and build it. You can make it work.
 

MCL_RDG

Member
I "had" a fabulous...

... Unitrack layout- time, convenience running until 9/11. Had to break it up- thought I need to sell my house. The track plan was provided point to point with a run through loop or 3- other RRs. U shaped to fill a spare bedroom. Nice.

Uh, In case you're not interested- still trying to recover from 9/11 and the havoc wreaked there of money wise- but hey- let's blame... Not!

Mark
 

absnut

Member
Thanks, Gents, for all your input. I had already dcided that with some modifications most track plans could be adapted to Unitrack and I was fishing for ideas. I have seen a few by Linn Westcott and the Layout Doctor that appear do-able.... just have to make some decisions.

Paul, are those layout specifically designed for N scale Unitrack? Are there more?:-D

Dick
 

3railguy

Member
I like the first plan. It looks practical and easy to manage. The second one however is too busy in my opinion and requires some tricky methods of dealing with switches on grade and elevated curve crossings. It doesn't leave alot of room for a believable arrangement of structures, bridges, and scenery.
 

csxnscale

Member
Dick, this is indeed N-scale and both plans have eased curves.
Cannonball the second plan is the reworked Granite Gorge and Northern.
A better version of plan 1 without fooling the main when switching the yard

Paul
 

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Hoghead

Member
You have to dig for it on the KatoUSA website.
They have some different types of layout plans to choose from.

We frequently get requests for Unitrack Track Plans, so we have put together this section to feature some plans.
Our #20-901 track template is an excellent aid in track planning.

Software is available from various companies if you wish to design your UNITRACK layout on a computer. Please see our FAQ for details.

Note: The quantities shown on the following plans reflect piece, not package, quantities.


Track Plan Name Approximate
Dimensions
Cheap & Nothing Wasted II (PDF) 30" x 54"
Amherst 2005 Show Track Plan (PDF) 30" x 54"
20-1004 Value Pack Plan Diagram (PDF) 36" x 75"
Tri-R Railroad (PDF) 27" x 48"
The Tabletop Shortline (PDF) 20" x 36"
Manning Oaks (PDF) 36" x 72"
World's Greatest Hobby Layout in N-Scale! (PDF) 42" x 84"
The Basic Figure-8! 42" x 42"
West Coal 36" x 180"
Granny Kay & Bonnie 24" x 48"
Woodland Scenics Scenic Ridge 36" x 72"
December 1998 MR Layout 48" x 60"
The Milwaukee Road in Montana 54" x 96"
Track Plan Using 8.5" Radius 24" x 36"
Simple Double Track Plate Layout 55" x 114"
Colorado Western 26" x 38"
The plans below appeared in our out-of-print track plan brochure.
Watchung & Hawthorne Connecting RR 28" x 48"
Carolina Central 28" x 64"
Richfield & Fond du Lac Railroad 54" x 98"
Manufacturer's Junction 36" x 82"
The Big Four 28" x 48"
Burbank & Babylon Railroad 38" x 58"
Timesaver Switching Puzzle 19" x 54"
Corner Central 42" x 42"
Loop De Loop 28" x 34"
Mattoon Belt Line 24" x 50"
Track Plan Elements to incorporate on any layout!
15° Crossing Geometry (PDF) Assorted
90° Crossing Geometry (PDF) Assorted
#4 Turnout Geometry & Spacing (PDF) Assorted
#6 Turnout Geometry & Spacing (PDF) Assorted
Double Crossover w/ #6 Turnouts (PDF) Assorted
Wye with #6 Turnouts 38" x 42"
Reversing Loop with #6 Turnout 32" x 54"
Freight Yard with #4 Turnouts 12" x 144"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This site designed and maintained by the Kato USA team.
100 Remington Road • Schaumburg, IL 60173
 

MCL_RDG

Member
Dick, I was thinking...

...about how I came to using Unitrack. I knew Kato made some good products and I looked at the track for a few weeks at the LHS. The price they wanted was too high (3X) for what could be had mail order (they literally are in the high rent district). I thought I'd like to try it. I saw an ad for some on sale- bought a K1 and K2. I figured at worst- the little investment would give me temporary running 'till I had time for the full blown track plan I was working on/dreaming of. Well, I had the real estate and benchwork up already. It was pretty much "there" (the room) so I used what I had. I didn't have a track plan, just the area and benchwork.

When I got the track out of the boxes I had a loop with a passing siding and two trains running in 20 minutes. I had 2 more each K1s and K2s in a week, still on sale. The track plan painted itself on the benchwork- which is the beauty of it. I had an idea of what I wanted and layed it out. As I ran into boring swith arragements or traffic that didn't make sense- the changes were "plug and play". No fuss, no muss. I never secured the track and ran it for a year that way. Nicely filled out a 30+ wide around the 3 walls of a 10' x 10' bedroom.

The switches were electric- I never hooked them up- used them manually. I have backed 35 car trains in and out of a yard lead on their tightest curved track- well 10" rad- what ever piece that is with only a couple of 30' MTL hoppers- too light, giving problems. I super elevated their track with chipboard- wow- cool.

Anyway- some reflections. I hope to get back to re-building soon. My wife bought me an ABBA set of pennsy sharks a year plus ago and they've yet to pull a drag on anything more than the 30 X 86 I had left after I tore down the rest of the layout.

I didn't see you took the plunge yet- but I guess I'd say- buy a set or two- ebay if you're bargain hunting and give it a try. I'd think you'd be suprised how easy and quickly you can make up a track plan to tinker with on your own.

Regards,

Mark
(Whew- now I need a cold one)
 

absnut

Member
Thanks,Mark

Mark,

Thanks for the interest. I bought K1 and K2 back in 89 for a "kitchen table layout" whilst I was in between layouts. When I finally did start a good sized U-shaped layout, the Unitrack cost was kind of a put-off so I utilized a good deal of Atlas track that I had on hand from the previous layout but, with the addition of a few more pieces of Unitrack, I used K1-2 on about 1/4th of the layout. It was so bullet-proof, I kinda wished I had spent the extra bucks! However, we've just stopped roaming, bought a house, and I'm just about ready to do it. I have a couple plans that look good but, I'll end up doing it your way.... and just let the track go where it will and refine it as the occasion warrants. Like you, I found that "relaying" Unitrack is a snap (no pun intended!) without loss.

Hope you enjoyed your cold one!:mrgreen:

Dick
 
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