Best way to lay Kato Unitrack

[Chrιstιaη]

Hello Happy Members !
What's the best way to lay Kato Unitrack ? Glue, screws or nails ? Thanks for your help.

 

[bnsf971]

Unitrack is mostly meant to be "temporary". Just place two pieces on the table, and push them together. When you're tired of your setup, or have to move it, simply pull the pieces apart, and put them back in the box.
If you hold a piece of Unitrack up to a light source, and look at the underside of the track with the light shining on the top, you should see spots on the roadbed where you can see light through. Those are spots for small nails or screws, if you want to make things more permanent.

 

[PowrCab]

Though I don't care for the Uni-track systems that do exist, I don't think it's fair to claim they are "meant to be temporary" any more than standard sectional track (without simulated ballast) is..Yes, they can be unplugged and put away if one wants.. But there are many many examples of permanent MRRs built using Uni-track. The only thing I see wrong about its use is when it's employed to make yard and spur trackage where, in real life, these secondary and tertiary type tracks are usually right down in the dirt, not up on shouldered ballast that the Uni-track systems depict for the main line.
But even that look can be easily amended by building up soil around Uni-made yard tracks to achieve a non-shouldered-ballast profile..

 

[GuilfordRailman]

Hello Happy Members !
What's the best way to lay Kato Unitrack ? Glue, screws or nails ? Thanks for your help.

I used a clear silicone caulk to adhere my Kato Unitrack. Works well and gives adequate working time for readjustments if need be.

 

[Boris]

Uni-track is great for permanent layouts, just takes a little more effort to make it look right. Can be fastened by brads or screws, or latex caulk.

 

[santafewillie]

Hello Happy Members !
What's the best way to lay Kato Unitrack ?

Carefully!

 

[JeffH]

I would just use a few small dabs of caulking, or even Elmers Glue. Seems the caulking would provide a little more "instant" hold.

You just need something to keep it from sliding around is all.

 

[rgeiter]

I have a friend building his n-scale double track helix with the Kato track. Looks good too, for n-scale.

In fact, if I were going to build a helix and the unitrack curves were large enough, I would do this too.

 

[freescopesdad]

For my Unitrack layout, after I get the electronics and track power sorted out, I'll just apply a small dab of latex caulk in 2-3 spots at every other piece of sectional track, excluding the turnouts. In my yard area, I'll fill in the gaps between tracks with 1/4" cork sheet to give the appearance of non-raised roadbed.

 

[goscrewyourselves]

I have always glued my track work down, but I play with Flex Track. I would be wary of using nails/brads - from what I hear, they have a tendency to "vibrate loose" and rise. If that is just a malicious rumor, then nailing the track down would probably be easier and quicker. It would also allow you to take it up if you wanted to make changes etc.

 

[Smudge617]

I have always glued my track work down, but I play with Flex Track. I would be wary of using nails/brads - from what I hear, they have a tendency to "vibrate loose" and rise. If that is just a malicious rumor, then nailing the track down would probably be easier and quicker. It would also allow you to take it up if you wanted to make changes etc.

I prefer screws, if you make a mistake or you decide what you've built isn't to your liking much easier to unscrew them than risk damaging your track than with nails, also less mess than using some kind of caulk or glue.(and no waiting for the glue to dry either)