Tomix Superelevated FineTrack and other releases for the rest of 2009

[CaptOblivious]

Tomix has long promised us superelevated (canted or tilted) curves to match Kato's recent releases. Well, now we have a date! Tomix is saying September, according to their latest flyer!

[quinntopia]

This is good news for the hobby.  I know I'm already planning on redoing the 'north end' of my layout to add the super-elevated Kato pieces....super-elevation is just too cool to pass up.  Glad that any manufacturer is starting to notice (and by the way, are there any other track systems in any gauge that have offered this?  When I was doing O scale I had to do it 'manually' and the results weren't all that great).

[CaptOblivious]

This is good news for the hobby.  I know I'm already planning on redoing the 'north end' of my layout to add the super-elevated Kato pieces....super-elevation is just too cool to pass up.  Glad that any manufacturer is starting to notice (and by the way, are there any other track systems in any gauge that have offered this?  When I was doing O scale I had to do it 'manually' and the results weren't all that great).

 

Kato has offered superelevated curves in Unitrack Variations sets V11 & V12, and just announced a new set of radii in sets V13 & V14. Individual pieces are also available.

http://www.katomodels.com/product/nmi/unitrack_v11.shtml

[Mudkip Orange]

This is good news for the hobby.  I know I'm already planning on redoing the 'north end' of my layout to add the super-elevated Kato pieces....super-elevation is just too cool to pass up.  Glad that any manufacturer is starting to notice (and by the way, are there any other track systems in any gauge that have offered this?  When I was doing O scale I had to do it 'manually' and the results weren't all that great).

 

Kato has offered superelevated curves in Unitrack Variations sets V11 & V12, and just announced a new set of radii in sets V13 & V14. Individual pieces are also available.

http://www.katomodels.com/product/nmi/unitrack_v11.shtml

I'm pretty happy about the R282/315 curve, since it fits on a hollow core door or a wide desk.

[Martijn Meerts]

I wonder how tilting trains behave in a superelevated turn. You HAVE to drive real fast, otherwise they'll just fall over ;)

[quinntopia]

I didn't know about the R282/315 super-elevated curves, I wonder how they would work with the R414/381's as the lead in curves?  I use 718 then 481 then 381 on the area where i am going to install super-elevated curves (the idea is that the curve appears more gradual and less like a 'half-circle).  Given that I expect the geometry is somewhat different, not sure they would match up cleanly.

[Mudkip Orange]

Given that I expect the geometry is somewhat different, not sure they would match up cleanly.

The thing about Kato is that (like any Japanese company) they are big on DFM or Design For Manufacturing. So for instance the Code 83 HO unitrack uses the same Unijoiners as the Code 80 N scale unitrack.

 

Likewise the 414/381 curves use the same unijoiner assembly, just tilted. You can actually connect a single-track straight to the 414/381 superelevated curve WITHOUT using the "easement" track, you just have to shim it. (edit to add: you can't do this with the double-track straight, since the superelevated unijoiner connections aren't in the same plane as each other)

 

Obviously I haven't touched the 282/315 since it isn't out yet, but I'd be very, very surprised if you *couldn't* connect the 414/381 easement curve to the 315/282 superelevated curve. In fact, I'm tempted to try exactly this once it's released...

[Mudkip Orange]

it isn't out yet

 

I'm wrong! It's out!

 

Check it: Plaza Japan has it at here and here

 

So... who wants to be the guinea pig and test this out?

[quinntopia]

Race you!  ;D

 

I have the perfect spot for these.

 

Its amazing that every time I think "that's it!  No more spending money until I get project X finished" something else comes along that I JUST ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE!  ;D

 

(hey, as I tell my wife, it's kind of like shoes are for her, right?)