Rail Joiners Kato HO to Atlas?

[riverotter]

I need to link a main line laid with Kato Unitrack to a yard lead laid with Atlas flextrack and Peco turnouts. The track has all been matched in terms of height. What are the possible options for connecting the two mfgrs' track? Kato rail joiners are too small to fit the Atlas track and Atlas rail joiners are too loose for the Kato Unitrack. Thanks in advance for your creative solutions!

 

[RonP]

Maybe solder the big joiners to the smaller track.

 

[riverotter]

I've been thinking about a couple of other possible fixes: Code 70 or Code 55 rail joiners, maybe spread slightly to accommodate the Atlas code 83 flextrack; or code 83 rail joiners crimped a bit to fit the Unitrack profile. Anybody have experience with either of these - whether related to Unitrack or otherwise?

 

[DeckRoid]

I used some different pieces of track on my last layout and I noticed the same thing. I took my ... I call them my duck bill pliers, they look like needle nose pliers but are flattend out... and crimped the joiners to the smaller track then laid down as small a bead of solder I could. If you have a resistance solder iron, ooooo you can put down a bead of solder that you can barely see.

Unlike me, who puts down blobs and smooshes it out with the iron...

George

 

[The Yardmaster]

What is needed is transition rail which will allow you to go from the larger size rails to the smaller sizes with the proper connections for both ends.It certainly would be nice if they were produced for this type pf problem.

 

[60103]

Will a bit of filing on the end of the Atlas track help?

 

[The Yardmaster]

David, Here's what I would try on a piece of scrap rail before messing up some good track,as you have indicated by filing the atlas track will be the way to go,file the web of the atlas track down on both sides so that the kato connector will slide over the end of the atlas track,when your happy with the fit of the connector I would solder it to the atlas track and leave the kato end as the free end.

I don't know if your near a railway but if you are or know someone who is in the engineering group/section ask them to show you the difference between 132 lb rail and 85 lb rail or if they have a length of transition rail it'll then make a lot more sense to you.

Hope this helps you out.

 

[wjstix]

You don't mention the code, but if you're using code 83 Atlas track I assume the problem you're having isn't height but width?? The Kato code 83 track is pretty close to scale width track, Atlas code 83 is noticeably wider.