When I converted my layout from N scale to HO, I used some old Brass Rail that I had had for some odd 12 years on my layout, with 5 and 6 year old NS Atlas switches. I have scrubbed, cleaned and did i mention... Scrubbed the rails. TERRIBLE electric pick-up. I heard brass rail stories, but NOOOO I had to try it. My engines run nicely over the switches but they really roughen up over the rest. Good thing I didn't scenic the layout yet, I'm gonna get some Peco track at the hobby store the next time I go. (he ordered some, Atlas or Peco?....hmmmmm.... Peco) All noobs and anyone else trying brass, BEWARE
I have limited experience with brass and yes it oxidizes much faster than silver and requires more attention. There are many-many cleaners and methods to cleaning brass/silver track and loco wheels that I use depending on how lazyI am. One of those products is MAAS(MR Jan 03) a 2 0z tube for three bucks at Wal-Mart, household cleaners dept. Yesterday I cleaned the wheels of a 1966 switcher with MAAS. This was the first time the wheels were cleaned. I'm sitting here with this 37 year old piece of crap in my hands and I am obsolutely astonished how well these wheels cleaned up, almost like new. Brass should responde in the same way. I'm a nickel silver track guy and also own the $99.00 Tony's clean machine but MAAS does what it is supposed to do, CLEAN!.
No brass on my layout- track or (sob, sniffle) motive power. I long since removed all my brass track, but it's not a total loss- take the rails off the ties, and cut the rails into 39 scale-foot lengths using a Dremel. Then, paint the rail segments with appropriate colors to represent unused rail. Stack the rail onto a gondola, on in an organized stack in your yard. Or, use the offending track to represent unused and abandoned-but-not-taken-up track, again painting the rails (top included), then bury the track in ballast, sifted dirt, ground foam scenery, or whatnot to give it a sorry, please-let-me-die look. Moral of the story: Brass track isn't a total loss- it CAN be used for scenery purposes!
My new layout will be made up entirely of brass track. My old layout had over 500' of brass and about 10' of nickle silver. Some of my brass track and turnouts are over 43 years old. i have never had an oxidation problem. Never an oil slick problem like nickle silver. And i run DCC with no problem. I have atlas, peco, life like and some italian stuff too. i also read that brass is a better conductor of electricity than nickle silver. Anyone who doesn't want their brass track can send it to me
I use my crappy brass track for sidings "Where Locos Don't Dare Go" The track holds the freight cars fine.
I found a good way to recycle brass track. I have made Oak display cases thats mounted on the walls of my room to "display" my loco's an all, without track on the shelves its hard to keep the locos from moving an fear of them falling out when the case is opened or there's no plexiglass sliding doors to the shelf. So, I took all my brass trace an mounted it on "laths" wood striping an beveled on one edge to form a ballast look like cork roadbed, painted light & dark gray, then took 3/4 inch nails an mounted the track to the laths an then to each self for the loco's to sit on.. One section at a time. Works great an the polished rail shines and makes the whole display stand out..... I only use Nickle Silver track on my layout. But I do have some old 3 way stub or triple switches an a double cross over that I have to replace with a nickle silver ones being these I have are brass. But work very well still so.... And I've made sure they have a feeder wire to each rail for the time being so they remain reliable, and they're kept clean at all costs....Till I get around to getting nickle silver replacements.... [ 10. February 2003, 01:46: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
I am 95% sure this is a correct statement. The 'problem' with brass is that the oxide that forms on the rail is not conductive. The oxide that forms on nickle silver IS conductive, so NS rail is more reliable. railery - do you run trains a lot? I've heard that with regular use, brass stays quite clean. The oxide becomes a problem if you don't run for a long time.
