# Kato Unitrack and DCC



## newcitysam (Oct 13, 2016)

I have seen this question asked several times on forums and such all over the internet but unless I am a total idiot I have yet to find an answer!

I have a layout consisting entirely of Kato Unitrack and #6 turnouts. I want to use DCC. I have heard these turnouts aren't DCC friendly but can be made to work by feeding power into the single end of the turnout, insulating the other two ends and then feeding beyond the switch.

Will this work? Has anyone used or are currently using this method?


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

If it works on DC, it will work on DCC.

Forget that DCC friendly stuff. Means nothing.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

When you are ready for DCC you will unhook the 2 wires at the DC transformer and hook them up to your DCC system and you will be ready to go.

Now if it doesn't work on DC it will not work on DCC.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

Underneath the Unitrack turnout, there should be two little screws for how they feed power ..
For DCC operation, the one screw should be set for non-power-routing, and the other screw for setting the frog to the insulated position .. 
I don't have Unitrack, but helped another fellow get his sorted out a few years ago , no special wiring or modifications were needed as far as I recall, nor do I remember if or where he may have used insulated joiners ..
This is pretty much my total knowledge of Unitrack, and was some time ago, hopefully it's kinda correct


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## newcitysam (Oct 13, 2016)

My #6 turnouts do not have those screws on the bottom to set the power routing. That feature is only on the #4 turnouts in N Scale.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Do your turnouts work on DC?


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## newcitysam (Oct 13, 2016)

Yes, layout works 100% on DC. When connected to DCC and loco attempts to enter a turnout not switched for the leg it's entering from the DCC shorts and restarts. When you switch the turnout to the diverging side the loco stops instantly like it's no longer getting power!


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Is it the same loco that runs fine on DC? If it is the same loco, I am sorry, I have
no idea . DC or DCC would not make the loco take a turnout that was not set. The
short will happen if the wheels derail. It probably shuts your DCC down. I will say
clean track seems to be more important with DCC. I am not familiar with kato
turnouts.

I still say if it works fine on DC, it should on DCC also.


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## newcitysam (Oct 13, 2016)

I believe I have figured it out! I assumed the switch would throw on it's own as the train entered the turnout from either of the converging directs as in the real world prototype! Also, I added feeders to each section of layout in AND out of each turnout. So now with each turnout set properly for the direction of travel everything works properly!


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Glad you got it working.


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## Guest (Nov 6, 2016)

The little screws to select power routing are on the bottom of the #4 turnout. The #6 is always power routing and doesn't have them.

The turnouts are not non-derailing, and since they are power routing they will create a short if a loco or car with metal wheels approaches from the wrong leg. 

There is some technical reason why Unitrack is not considered DCC friendly but I, and many others, have used it to build DCC layouts for many years with no problems.


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