36 or 39?

[NH Mike]

Only been on this forum since this morning. In my first post I said that after a 21 year shut down I got back into the hobby and would have some seemingly dumb questions. Here's two.

I had to replace some Peco flex track that popped out of the ties and sprung out of gauge...can you say HOn8?? I am planning on cutting up the old rail into prototypical lengths to use as scenery items next to a yard shed and for flat car loads. I can't remember if a standard length of rail is 36 or 39 feet long.

Also, I have a good variety of Floquil paints and amazingly they mixed right back up and are useable after all this time. Do they still make DioSol and is the complete line of Floquil still available? If DioSol is not around has anybody substituted ordinary laquer thinner without any surprise results when shot through an airbrush?

Thanks,

 

[Rico]

Hey Mike!
I sometimes cut CWR for the railways and usually into 39' lengths. I think this is a throw back to when they hauled it in 40' cars.
I know Floquil is still available in some of the shops I frequent but not sure about the Diosol, I've never thinned it.

 

[wheeler1963]

Mike, I've seen Diosol in the small bottles and that's it. But they make an 8oz can of Universal Enamel Thinner. Testors makes it, red can with white and black lettering. I've used it to mix Floquil, Testors and Testors Model Master paints with no problem. For cleaning up the airbrush etc. I just get quart of Lacquer thinner from WalMart.

 

[NH Mike]

Thanks for the help guys. 39 feet sounded right but like I said it has been a while. The 2 closest local hobby shops don't carry any paints other than water soluble acrylics or Testors Enamels. It got me thinking that solvent based paints like Floquil were no longer available. I'll give the Testors air brush thinner and also some laquer thinner with the Floquil a try on a couple of old cars and see what happens.

 

[UP2CSX]

Mike, 39 feet is the correct, present day length for sectional rail. It was 36" up to the early 60's or so.

Most Floquil solvent based paints are still available although many shops no longer carry them becuase of slowing sales and liability issues. www.modeltrainstuff.com and www.hobbylinc.com are two sites that still have a good selection. I use mostly acrylics now but still use some Floquil solvents, like aged concrete. Haven't found an acrylic that has the right look or coverage. As far as thinners, buy the cheapest lacquer thinner you can get and use that. No matter what Floquil would have you believe, that's all DioSol is.

 

[NH Mike]

Thanks Jim. Since my last post about this I thinned some Floquil down with common laquer thinner and no problems either with spraying or reaction with the paint itself. Back in the past I always used the Dio Sol for thinning but used laquer thinner to clean my airbrushes. $13 a gallon is mucho better than $3+ for an ounce of Dio Sol.

I love the smell of Floquil in the morning.

 

[UP2CSX]

Mike, I like the smell of Floquil anytime. I discovered years ago the DioSol was just Floquil's way of increasing their profit margin on a common item. I'm sure you take proper precautions but a spray booth and respirator are absolutely necessary for safe use of solvent based paints. They contain chemicals that are potent causes of leukemia and it takes years of exposure for the disease to develop. Back when I was young, I didn't use a spray booth or respirator and I can remember many a day when the garage was filled with paint mist. I'm still healthy at 63, thank the Lord, but my first wife died of leukemia at 58 years old. She had no risk factors for the disease and has an identical twin without leukemia so I know the cause was environmental. I still feel a little guilty today that her breathing some of those fumes may have contributed to her getting leukemia.

 

[NH Mike]

Thanks for your concern Jim. I've always used a filter mask and power ventilation for spraying. At 62 myself I'm remarkably healthy so being careful pays off. Sorry to hear about your wife.

 

[NYC_George]

Cut rails

I tried to create the scene below with some left over scrap code 83 track. I wanted the rails to be 39’ but the majority of the scrap pieces were not that long.

NYC_George

 

[UP2CSX]

Thanks, Mike. Glad to hear you are doing the right things to stay healthy.

George, those rail sections look good to me. I won't send over any of my little plastic people with tape measures to check them out.

 

[NH Mike]

Nice scene you built there. That's about what I had in mind George. A MOW siding with stacked rails and ties with a gon, crane, and ballast hopper or two.