kato number 4 turnout mods for reliability
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- Long boring video unless you use the Kato #4 turnout and want some ideas on how to improve its function. Items covered: support for the points midway along their length with a plastic slider plate, tip of points flange guide for wheels turned at an angle from compression on a set going through the turnout, leveling the frog with Kapton tape
❤thank you so much for your Kato #4 turnout fix! This fixed the annoying derailing issue on my new N-scale layout.
This was very useful information, thanks for taking the time to make the video.
Great Video! Thanks for taking the time to make this!!! And.. lol I legit jumped around 17:00 from the horn. I've had alot of trouble with my Kato switches so I'm going to apply some of these fixes for sure!
I too am somewhat forced, by lack of space, to use #4s. So thanks for imparting your experience. I'm going into this not so ignorant! --dunc
Very interesting and informative. I have #4 turnouts on my HO scale Unitrack layout, and in addition to one of my locomotives forcing switches open sometimes, I also noticed that the driving wheels seem to "bounce" in the small gap between the rail and the end of the frog. I'm wondering if adding styrene in this gap would resolve the issue.
THANK YOU, for explaining the Kato Unitrack Frog. :-)
I find with the HO #4's, non-kato locomotives and some stock picks the opposing current rail before coming into the frog causing a brief short with DCC decoders. I use clear nail polish to insulate the points a bit by the frog.
Thank you so much for this great video!
This was helpful, i was trying to figure out why #4's seem to "fail" to change direction reliably after a year and half and this videos seems to match my conclusion of the points warping. I will try your styrene support on my troublesome turnouts and see if it yields improvement
Mechanism is weak in the straight direction on mine, I also filed the point and used tweezers to bend ever so slightly. Last check gauge on all wheels, if like HO some are too wide.
Useful tips. Thanks.
Nice video.
Great hints👍👍👍👍
if you want these #4's to work, get them straight and true to the adjacent tracks, that's the secret.
Incredible video thanks for sharing with us and I'm going to share it to my new Facebook group called TRAINS ACROSS THE WORLD my
Nice tip
loved it
3:29 that is 16 thousanths of in inch. Also called 16 Thou, or 16 Mil
Aloha the Styrene you used on your #4's have used it on #6 turnouts as well and if so can you show in a Next Video and I was wondering what the Styrene thickness is Sir can ya please pass that in your reply my La Junta Hutch & Pratt mini Sub Div. I use all KATO UNITRACK in my back yard I'd used #4's for 3 1/2 years and they work pretty decent with any Kato Rollinstock that I ran over them but when I went to other Rolling Stock products like Microtrains the Derailment issues started so I pulled the #4's and went to KATO #6 I dont have as much issues as in the past but on occasion I get a Derailment..
My Channel is RDA N Scale thank you for sharing this Video..
Out of interest, what is the thickness of the Kato printed card used for the packaging of 24-825, 24-827, 24-821, etc? And even the thickness of the backing card used on the turnouts themselves 20-220 and 20-221 and other items packaged that way?
I don't have a micrometre
Noticed that you notched the curved rail on one of those #4's. Did it help? I've notched the straight rails, but still have some issues. Going to try your guard rails as well.
It helps where its needed, but I am not sure its needed on every turnout. If a previously installed turnout is causing the flange to ride up on a closed point then I pull it out and notch the rail to blend the point and rail junction, if that isn't happening I dont bother. If the turnout is being installed with plaster and ballast and all that I really probably should notch both rails and do all the mods before just to avoid hassles later. I am not sure if filing a small wedge into the tip of the point doesn't do the same thing in preventing the flange riding up on it. So I guess I am still testing methods of preventing that. 2 basic methods are notch the rail or wedge the point tip. Even tiny angled plane on the upper tip of the point may be just enough to kick the flange over and stay railed versus it climbing up the point when it comes in contact.
the better solution is to get a straight alignment into the turnout. most of you have weird alignment.
Oh a lot of problem with this kato #4 turnout. Train derail when thru it, the blades are are moving! Unstable and so weak.
I'll try this tips, hopefuly gonna works