Building myself an N scale "layout" with Kato unitrack CV1 oval set. Let's see what can run on it!

I want to apologize in advance for my terrible English! Yes I had to speak in this video so for people who wanted to hear me out this is your chance! or doom XD ! Spoiler, rough start and will improve after a few minutes.
Finally a very basic layout! OK it is in N scale so sorry no running session on OO or HO or G scale yet!
So.... a compact oval! Well I like compact as I really don't have much space. I really like the "railroad in a box" feeling of packages.
Now compact radius is very cool and all but, what can you run with it? Results might be surprising!
Thank you to KZbin user ‪@martingotham1311‬ to give me the N scale idea. Please check is new channel!

[@robertmyers5269]

Nice demo of the Kato Compact Track set. One quibble -- it's pronounced "Kah-toe" not "Kay-toe". A tip about the track - separate it by bending horizontally, not pulling or flexing vertically. I've been playing around with the Compact Track a lot lately. It's surprising how much equipment will run on it. Most shorter 4-axle diesels (F units, GP20 and earlier) run fine even (or particularly) with body mount couplers. Most 40' and 50' freight cars with body mount couplers too. I have even got Bachmann 60' passenger cars fitted with body mount couplers to work well. Some equipment *does* need tuning, but that's part of the challenge/fun. Mixing body mount and talgo (truck mounted) couplers is asking for trouble, as you saw with the Atlas Dash-8 and a couple of random talgo equipped cars.

[@leewaymodels]

Thanks for the tip. Here I was trying to translate Kato to English when I should've pronounced like I would do it in my mother thong! I second what you are saying about separating the tracks. Much easier on a flat surface. Since I filmed this, I tested the CV1 with most N scale stuff I reviewed to see if it would work with it. I found out that most "bo-bo" (2 bogies of 2 axles) locomotive will work on it as you said. Any locomotive with either a "Bo-Bo-Bo" configuration , "Co-Co" configuration or a 0-6-0 configuration will not work.

[@Atolium4]

This was the first track set I got for my layout and i absolutely loved it. I understood why the long wagons and the 6-wheel locomotives won't make the turn, even the ones that have couplers that don't turn with the wheels.

[@leewaymodels]

It is a nice kit! I used it many times in other N scale video!

[@deprecatedme]

You need to be less critical of your appearance and your English my friend. You are braver than 99% of us viewers. Looks don't matter and the fact that your English is far better than my French makes you a language god in my opinion! 😆

[@leewaymodels]

Thank you for your comment! All the "spoken* videos takes quite a bit of time to do as I try to make a loose script as not too get too lost in the translation. I also do a few takes and take the best one except when it is a first unboxing where I only have one shot possible. . Happy that someone appreciate the effort!

[@heleti0000]

Interesting video - been thinking of building an N scale set for while, might just do it now. BTW - your English is far better and more easily understandable than a lot of English speaking people I know 😁👍🇦🇺

[@leewaymodels]

Thank you for your comment. I guess I'm getting more confident in English that I want to acknowledge to myself!

[@robertsolano3572]

Thank's You've given me a Great Advice. . I will use This Set Of Trackage to Run my N - Scale Trolley INSIDE of my Larger Kato Layout Track's to make A City Scene While still running A Larger Outer Layout With A Train Yard ( The Kato M2 track set with Siding and The Kato V3 Switch Yard Set . ) To Use on My Holiday Layout !!! Perfect Idea !!! Awesome !!! Thank's for Your Video Dude , Just what I needed , I had no Idea about the CV1 SET !!! Cool Beanz !!! 😎

[@leewaymodels]

No problem, happy to help! Your layout seems to be an interresting concept! Would love to see it! Thanks for watching!

[@MrNicktheBeat]

Thanks. Very useful.

[@leewaymodels]

No problem! Thanks for watching.

[@luckyswordsmen991]

Wow nice track review !, Are the tracks electrical?

[@leewaymodels]

Hi Lucky Swordsmen, nice to see your comment!. I actually enjoyed doing this one even if I'm really not in my element speaking English! About the tracks, They are conductive like normal N scale tracks. In this setup, I used a Kato Standard SX power pack to connect the tracks to power. The Kato Unitrack system is really nice and have A LOT of interesting packs and accessories like buffer stops, points, signal, railroad crossings, switching yard in a pack, etc. Would you be interested in videos concerning these? Thank you for watching and the nice comment!

[@luckyswordsmen991]

@@leewaymodels actually yes, I love trains and there tracks, so much in fact I always had one on by birthday list

[@leewaymodels]

@@luckyswordsmen991 OK, I will try to get a few. Give it some time as these comes from Japan!

[@luckyswordsmen991]

@@leewaymodels don't worry I'm quite the patient type

[@jackyup5147]

Will it work with the biggest locomotive you have?

[@leewaymodels]

So far, I have not found a locomotive that it did not work with. However, train cars cannot couple on a few of them. Also I don't have any large steam engines where I think it would cause an issue.

[@sabotup7442]

What are the dimensions of your oval? I need a track to run inside an oval of 27.5” by 40.5”

[@leewaymodels]

According to the manufacturer, The CV1 endless basic set is a set that can be developed with a small space endless layout of 325 mm x 573 mm of A2 size or smaller using the R150 curve. That is much smaller then the dimensions mentioned and it would fit.

[@IIIIIIlllllllIIILLL]

Btw What's The Train Behind The Small Steam train

[@leewaymodels]

Hi @Vincent2 I received something that should interest you and I will make a video of it in the near future. About your question: That would be a GP18. I have made a video of it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnKtYaCbrJaol68

[@soidog659]

When you need to break up the track you must break it the the joint not pull it.

[@leewaymodels]

Not sure what you mean. When the rep from Kato USA came to a train club I was a member of a few years back, that's how he showed it to us. If there is a better method, I will gladly learn it.

[@Andozable]

What type locomotive you use

[@leewaymodels]

It depends. I like 00 scale for steam engines and they are mostly from era 2 and 3 ( around 1890 to 1950). Hornby, Bachman, Oxford Rail and Dapol are nice in this scale. For "modernish" diesel and electric, I prefer HO scale a lot of French SNCF prototypes from era 4,5 and 6 (1960 to today) . They are mostly made by Jouef, Lima(old stuff), Roco (Great brand), Mehano and Piko. I do have some north American stuff from Bachmann, Model Power, Rapido and Atlas Railroad. N scale is a bit of everything. I have stuff from Japan mostly made by Kato and to a lesser extent Tomix. I also have some American prototype made by Life-Like, Bachmann, Atlas Railroad among other things.

[@Truck_vr]

Can the Bachman power supply work with the Kato transformer

[@leewaymodels]

You could pair a Bachman power supply with these track. What you would need however is to modify the power cable that is hooked up to the tracks.

[@H4NDCRAFTED]

What’s the dimensions of the oval please ?

[@leewaymodels]

From the manufacturer's description: The CV1 endless basic set is a set that can be developed with a small space endless layout of 325 mm x 573 mm of A2 size or smaller using the R150 curve. Hope this helps!

[@H4NDCRAFTED]

@@leewaymodels that’s great , just wanted to confirm because two different sites had different dimensions , very helpful thank you !

[@leewaymodels]

I'll still assemble and mesure it. If there are any changes, I will post the actual data.

[@machucast]

As an ex montrealer, i detect a francophone accent in there, am i right? :D

[@leewaymodels]

Yup! Can't hide anything from you :D

[@chuckmaddison2924]

So I guess the Bachmann McKinley explorer won't run on it.

[@leewaymodels]

It seems like longs locomotive and cars. Maybe the locomotive can run by itself as shown with the Dash-8 but attached to these train cars, something will most likely derail.

[@martingotham1311]

oh wow thank you soo much, you shouldn't have

[@leewaymodels]

No problem mate!

[@jackyup5147]

Can you run a six wheel locomotive on it ?

[@leewaymodels]

Good question. I don't know if I have any 7 wheels in N scale. I will have to get back to you.

[@jackyup5147]

@@leewaymodels is the curve on the cv1 the same as the kato R183mm45?

[@leewaymodels]

The curve on CV1 is R150mm45., It is thighter.

[@dogyerf21]

This looks like something for little kids

[@leewaymodels]

The box says 14 years and older. There is a lot of small parts in this. I would not advise you to give this to a little kid.