Advice on building small N layout

Kato Kato Kato. Buy Kato, they are the ninjas of roadbed track systems and it's hands down the best n scale track on the market. They also make amazing trains too. Everything made in Japan and everything exactly the same, like a Swiss watch. If it says Kato on it you can't go wrong

Matt Makens posted:

Kato Kato Kato. Buy Kato, they are the ninjas of roadbed track systems and it's hands down the best n scale track on the market. They also make amazing trains too. Everything made in Japan and everything exactly the same, like a Swiss watch. If it says Kato on it you can't go wrong

Matt is absolutely right!

Good luck.

I agree with Matt and Jim. My wife is currently building a 48 X 48 N gauge layout and using Kato track. This stuff is great. It has built in roadbed and snaps together. You can get different lengths of straight and radii curves.

Ken

When we got into "N" gauge we used Kato Unitrack. Great stuff, you can add my name to the list of people who like and recommend it.

Thank you everyone.  Is there a preference for locos?  Sets?  Sellers?

Again, Kato Kato Kato. Just buy a Kato starter set. They're really nice

I have built a few N layouts currently building a 36"x80" on a HCD. In all mine I have used Kato Unitrack. Can't go wrong. Loco selection for me is Kato and Atlas. I do go the DCC route but even with DC my pick would still be Kato or Atlas. 

Hello my friends, That is some real good sounding advice about Kato n scale trains, I also think Kato n scale trains are the best on the market today. I am also Kato n scale nut too and small layout nut too. These n scale trains are great for module layouts too I love them too. Thanks longbow57ca.

Kato is good and Atlas works great in N as well....

I am building a small N-scale layout on a 36x70 hollow core door slab. I have Kato Unitrak for it. I have noticed some slowing down in a few spots. I am going to add feeders in several locations to eliminate the problem. Kato and Atlas are great for locos and these companies support their products very well. For freight cars MicroTrains is top quality and the support their product very well. There are others that make good products as well.

Another vote for Kato, for track and everything else they make.  Reasonably priced as well. 

Kato is great stuff, however its designed in Japan and made in China.

For track-  Kato, Atlas or Peco

For Engines, Atlas or Kato. 

Rolling stock there are lots too- My vote would be for Micro Trains.

Another vote for Kato, I've never had a problem.

I came in to read this as I have two sets from europe ( some where forget where at moment but think France) anyway I need track it has some but it's the non-roadbed type. Now need to go look at Kato track I guess

I started in N scale when my mom bought me a Revell Rapido N scale set for Christmas 1968......I still have it and have collected enough Kato track to make a small layout. A 36 wide hollow core door is about $20 local and is easy yo store and move. 

I agree Kato best track out there!!

Add me to the list of votes for Kato unitrack.  I have a 3'x8' double track unitrack layout and never had a problem with the Kato track or their turnouts.  Their double crossover switch works like a charm.

Well I picked up Kato track a Spectrum 2-8-0, a few heavyweights and a transformer off eBay.  All slightly used but it works great.  I saw a Z scale set running today and might put one inside the N set.

Thanks for the advice...  

John

I agree 100% on Kato track and Kato and Atlas locomotives and Micro-trains cars. I also happen to like the Athearn N locomotives and many of the Bachmann-Spectrum offerings. You mentioned European N scale. Kato makes European prototype trains under the Kato/Lemke and Hobbytrain marque for the European market. I also highly recommend Fleischmann N and Minitrix (1980's or newer). Roco also made some very fine N scale locomotives but all that tooling has gone over to Fleischmann during the Fleischmann-Roco merger. Arnold locomotives made in Germany from the early 1980's to 1997 are also very good. I avoid the new Arnold (China) locomotives as they have gone to plastic gearing and have had problems. The Fleischmann and Minitrix locos of recent years 1990 up are every bit as good as Kato. I just attended the 33rd International Model Railway Exhibition in Cologne this past Saturday - Its a 4 day trade show open to the public the last two days. It's similar to Milwaukee's Trainfest but much,much larger. Fleischmann and Minitrix had great N displays there. 

Boomer posted:

I agree 100% on Kato track and Kato and Atlas locomotives and Micro-trains cars. I also happen to like the Athearn N locomotives and many of the Bachmann-Spectrum offerings. You mentioned European N scale. Kato makes European prototype trains under the Kato/Lemke and Hobbytrain marque for the European market. I also highly recommend Fleischmann N and Minitrix (1980's or newer). Roco also made some very fine N scale locomotives but all that tooling has gone over to Fleischmann during the Fleischmann-Roco merger. Arnold locomotives made in Germany from the early 1980's to 1997 are also very good. I avoid the new Arnold (China) locomotives as they have gone to plastic gearing and have had problems. The Fleischmann and Minitrix locos of recent years 1990 up are every bit as good as Kato. I just attended the 33rd International Model Railway Exhibition in Cologne this past Saturday - Its a 4 day trade show open to the public the last two days. It's similar to Milwaukee's Trainfest but much,much larger. Fleischmann and Minitrix had great N displays there. 

 

Great Photos Boomer! I almost forgot about  Fleischmann. My Dad purchased me Fleischmann track in the 1970's. By N scale standards it was the earlier version of the current Kato track. Fleischmann was one of the 1st pre-ballasted track  for N scale that we take for granted today. It was the best of the day in my opinion it was the N scales version of Marklin track without the center studs and the switches worked great too. It was very pricey in the 1970's compared to American N scale track. I still have it in a box somewhere, I need to dig it out.

If European is what you want to run, try seeking out Graham Farish locos and rolling stock.  They're now made by Bachmann, British styled.  I just got some recently made items by Farish, a 2-6-4T and some coaches and freight wagons, and the loco runs beautifully!

Put those on Kato track and it is a thing of beauty!

Graham garish is nothing compared to Dapol, they make some beautiful European models 

Question is kato track able to mate with other types ( ie bachman fastrack or other makers ) 

There are Unitack adaptor sections with mating to other N trackage makes like Tomix and Atlas. I strongly suggest going with an all Kato layout - all the sections are engineered to work together perfectly - and it does! Even in Europe many N scale operators are ditching other track makes going to Kato Unitrack. It looks better and works better than anything else on the market. 

I bought the V6 20-865 and it came with wires to hook the transformer up but don't see a track it connects to is there a secret to doing so. ( figured this one out took a bit thou to find where it connected I was looking for a place on the side not underneath 

Also where do you purchase Kato track from for best price.

I'm looking at doing a 30" wide by well that is to be determined later as my do a L shape layout. I basically have 5' x 8' but not sure if I need to get a desk in there also lol ( one of the 5' area's )  

Tomix is bigger than kato in japan. they make some great specialty switches. a wye,double slip,a three way. stuff kato does not have and there tracks are made to mate up with kata.

How good are the fleischmann switches? anyone know. the also make specialty switches like a double slip and a three way. thinking of trying some maybe. what are peoples thoughts. 

Some of these track systems are not easily avalible in the us. only seen it for sale on ebay. maybe there are dealers here I just have never heard about.

Lionelzwl2012 posted:

Tomix is bigger than kato in japan. they make some great specialty switches. a wye,double slip,a three way. stuff kato does not have and there tracks are made to mate up with kata.

How good are the fleischmann switches? anyone know. the also make specialty switches like a double slip and a three way. thinking of trying some maybe. what are peoples thoughts. 

Some of these track systems are not easily avalible in the us. only seen it for sale on ebay. maybe there are dealers here I just have never heard about.

Roger,

Kato does have a wye. I Agree Tomix is great, about the only way to purchase Tomix is to buy it on EBay direct from Japan. 

Flieschmann is very good and reliable it's been around for decades. However Kato in my opinion is the better track. Kato switch machines are built right into the underneath of the switch.

Seacoast posted:

Lionelzwl2012 posted:

Tomix is bigger than kato in japan. they make some great specialty switches. a wye,double slip,a three way. stuff kato does not have and there tracks are made to mate up with kata.

 

Roger,

Kato does have a wye. I Agree Tomix is great, about the only way to purchase Tomix is to buy it on EBay direct from Japan. 

 

There are online Japanese dealers like Hobby Search and Model Train Plus that you can order from (and I have been ordering from for years).