# Kato questions



## Codyfitzgerald (Jan 13, 2019)

Hello all! I am new (again) to the train hobby, I purchased an O scale polar express this year with all the add on cars and I love it! The problem is that I don’t have the room to create an O scale layout right now so I’m looking to create an N scale one. I would like to purchase a southern pacific daylight stream locomotive by Kato but I have some questions. What controller will work with the locomotive and will the Unitrack be okay to run it? I was going to purchase an M1 basic oval with power pack but I want to make sure it will work on that set before I commit to buying it. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. I haven’t had a train set since I was like 8 years old and I’m extremely excited to get started back into it. Thanks again!


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

I would say you can't go wrong with a Kato locomotive, but then we all have to keep in mind that every manufacturer of anything occasionally makes a lemon. We've had members here who have gotten bad products of every brand. That said, Kato is a very reliable brand name.

The M1 oval has 12-3/8 inch radius curves. I would think the Daylight GS-4 loco would run on those curves, but am not positive. I looked a bit online, but didn't find any specifics about what the GS-4 requires for minimum radius.

If I may offer a suggestion, consider buying a DCC loco and controller. DCC is way more fun than regular DC, and is way easier to wire everything, but is also more expensive. It allows sounds, light controls, and other features.

Also, if you plan a larger layout, or possible expansion, I recommend you stay away from Unitrack, since only Unitrack can be used with Unitrack. I suggest you look into flextrack, which allows you much more flexibility in designing your layout.

There are lots of posts on this forum, such as the one I posted below, which will help you with designing, selecting and building your layout. 

https://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=150914

Good Luck! :smilie_daumenpos:


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Welcome aboard!*



Codyfitzgerald said:


> Hello all! I am new (again) to the train hobby, I purchased an O scale polar express this year with all the add on cars and I love it! The problem is that I don’t have the room to create an O scale layout right now so I’m looking to create an N scale one. I would like to purchase a southern pacific daylight stream locomotive by Kato but I have some questions. What controller will work with the locomotive and will the Unitrack be okay to run it? I was going to purchase an M1 basic oval with power pack but I want to make sure it will work on that set before I commit to buying it. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. I haven’t had a train set since I was like 8 years old and I’m extremely excited to get started back into it. Thanks again!


Cody;

Welcome to the forum! Also welcome back to the hobby. I agree with all that Fire21 said in his post. Kato products, across the board, are very high quality. As typically happens with high quality, they are also high priced, but well worth their cost.

I also agree with his recommendation of flex track over Kato Unitrack. Not because of any fault in Unitrack, like other Kato offerings, it is well made. However flex track gives you more options in curve radii, and it is also much less expensive per foot than Unitrack. 

I also agree with Fire21's suggestion of DCC over DC, on one condition. That is if you plan to build a full blown permanent N-scale model railroad with multiple train running capability. If you just want a simple loop and a couple of sidings, then DC control would be enough. Also I don't recall seeing a kato locomotive with a DCC decoder built in. I do have a Kato N-scale F-unit diesel which I added a "drop in" (That means super-simple to install.) sound decoder to. It works very well. There are many locomotives in other brands, that do have built-in DCC decoders.

As far as your limited space issue is concerned, you might consider building a shelf type layout, rather than the traditional 4'x8' train table. The files below explain this idea in detail.

Again welcome

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:

View attachment WHERE DO I START 3.pdf


View attachment 1 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment 2 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment 3 & 4 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment 5 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment 6 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment All AboutTurnouts.pdf


View attachment Model Railroad Terminology 2.2.pdf


View attachment MODEL RAILROADING ON A BUDGET.pdf


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

I don't think the locomotive is available in DCC or sound at this time. Welther Hobbies was doing modifications on the locomotive, but never got a commitment they would deliver. I got away from steam.

Kato does make an adapter to use other track with it. I have a few of the adapters, but have never used them, so can not say it works.

Unitrack works quite well, but it does restrict what you can do, no question. Much easier to set up the layout with it though. It does limit the use of turnouts to theirs only it seems. You can do manual or electric with it. But not signals without a lot of extra work.

I had two hobby shops attempt to modify a Kato SP and a ConCor. Neither worked out well. If you cannot buy it in DCC now, I would stay away from it. Beautiful loco, but I guess just not enough room for sound, and DCC for some reason.

I changed over to the Broadway Limited Alco PA and have had a ball with the set up and Kato cars. You can buy light set ups for the passenger cars. I highly recommend the BLI Alco PA's #2 version. Sound is fantastic and performance is equal to the Kato.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2019)

Unitrack can be joined to any other N scale code 80 track by removing the Unijoiner and using code 80 rail joiners. 

Unitrack is ultra reliable. I used it for about 10 years when I was in N scale. There are a wide variety of curve radii and many different straight lengths so it is quite versatile. 

If I were ever to build another N scale layout I would use Unitrack. Flex track does allow an infinite variety of curves but there are so many options with Unitrack it's not that big an advantage. With Unitrack you can easily make changes at any time. I find that track plans that look fabulous on paper often don't live up to their promise when built. Unitrack makes modifications very easy.

Consider all options before buying, but remember that we all have our opinions, preferences and prejudices when evaluating advice, even this advice.


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

I think the one thing I like most about it is the fact that as the train runs, and crosses the uni-joiners you get the clickity clack of a real train. With the longest section being roughly 11 inches (I think) it gives a little more realistic sound. With flex track being so long you just don't get that it seems. A friend has done his in flex track and Pico turnouts. It does not sound the same. Maybe the flex track is a little smoother overall. Or I just didn't do a good job of attaching the track.


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

You didn't get to much clickity clack after railroads went to welded rail. If you want more clickity clack all one has to do is leave a wider gap. The problem with sectional track is all the connections, just so many places to have a problem. Even with flex track you can have a connection problem but a lot less. When people say they never had a problem, IMO there real lucky or just not telling the truth.


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## Ricky Tanner (Sep 19, 2015)

I second the recommendation to use Kato Unitrack. I've operated HO and N scale since 1967 and have built numerous layouts-professionally-over the years using every type of track system available. Unitrack is a precision engineered system that has superior running qualities over any other product. Bottom Line-You cannot do better. The amount of available track section is staggering and as an added bonus,should you sell it,it will retain most of its value. The cost is actually less per foot that other systems since you are not buying cork or applying ballast. I do weather mine and add ballast/scenery up to the edges. It looks very realistic when properly executed.

I'm building a 32' X 16' HO layout and I'm using only HO Unitrack - every engine (>500) I own runs well on it and I've had better much DCC operation due to the excellent engineering and thought put into the system.


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