OpenTube

What is Power Routing? - Switching Kato Unitrack Turnouts to Non-Power Routing in HO and N Scales!

Daniel Cortopassi - Trains & More!

5,918 views

Join this channel to get access to perks:
@danielcortopassi

What is Power Routing? - Switching Kato Unitrack Turnouts to Non-Power Routing in HO and N Scales!

Power Routing is a way to set up a turnout, or track switch, to turn off power to the non-aligned track. While this can be useful on old-school DC layouts, it's less useful with DCC.

Kato's HO scale Unitrack turnouts can be easily converted from power-routing to non-power routing just by moving a couple of screws on the bottom.

In N scale, it's a little more difficult. In this video Dan talks about 3 different approaches to negating the power-routing aspect of N scale Kato Unitrack turnouts.

This one is by viewer request!

If you've been wondering about power routing, or how to change Kato's HO and N scale turnouts to non-power routing, then this video is for you!

#train #modeltrains #kato #railroad

15 Comments

@kevincollier4147 4 weeks ago

Thanks, this is exactly what I needed as I am converting my Unitrack layout to DCC.

@openeyes-411 5 months ago

Covered all the bases Dan! 👍

@JackBarry-mp9wv 5 days ago

Great job, love your stuff! Are you familiar with the old series of Kato turnouts, 300 series vs the current 800 series? Total different very illusive animal!

@pacset2 5 months ago

Nice work Dan great info thanks

@RFMCabooseNP1713 5 months ago

Very interesting. Good tips.

@BriansModelTrains 5 months ago

Very helpful. Thank you!

@MAAz28_1 5 months ago (edited)

for years I had been doing your Method 2 for N scale. Then someone showed me an even easier other method, method 3 if you will, at then end of the turnout with 4 rails, from the underneath, solder one outside rail, with a jumper, to the other track's polarity matching outside rail. Then repeat for the other rail. Basically from the bottom underside of the turnout you just added feeders to the rails! Since one will always be "hot", now when when the other rail would be dead its getting powered from the "live" side as well. I have been doing it that way ever since! You don't have to open them anymore. The only issue is soldering the underside of the rails through those little slots in the plastic.

@rrikr1 8 days ago

I don't understand having to isolate the turnout if I'm going to have power coming from the other direction. It's the same power is out not? Still should be a / b on the same rails. I'm DCC in N scale unitrack.

@Trains-With-Shane 2 months ago

Kato does in fact make N scale turnouts that have the screws to change them from power routing to non power routing. But the older ones are just power routing like yours here in the video.

@mikeburns5815 5 months ago

Actually there are two kato switches - #4 which is power routing and the one you are demonstrating. There is also the #6 which, like the HO, is bottom screw selectable.

@mjtunstall1976 4 months ago

now that is what im looking for! but there's a problem, the turn out # 4 do not have a cover like yours but can see two screws, should they be screwed down to make it work?

@AllenCNW441 5 months ago

I use HO Peco powder-routing turnouts in DC, saves a lot of wiring.

@bobcoombes-q9y 3 months ago

do you still use the elactric points

@nyemt601 5 months ago

Not knocking kato track at all it deft has its place in the market for Christmas trees, train shows easy layouts etc etc.
but i feel like its old technology, out in the market today there is alot more to be offered that you dont have to jump through a hoop to get your layout DCC ready.
With the work involved you’re halfway to hand laying a turnout. But this is only my humble opinion and I appreciate the How too review

@PhilipBender612 5 months ago

Great video Dan, but why people are still running trains with just a DC transformer is beyond me..lol Do they still run to the store in their horse and buggy? I use a car, and I use command control.