Brass track, is it so bad?

[RexHea]

It would be interesting to know just how many of the "Nay Sayers" have actually had experience with the dreaded brass track??
Mac

I am a "Nay Sayer" and with experience. My first couple of layouts in the late 60's-70's had brass track in a clean A/C environment and required constant cleaning (as in every time they were used). They developed the use of NS to help eliminate some of the effects of oxidation and to have better conductivity through the track system. Also, the oxidation of NS is somewhat conductive, still allowing operation to a point. Those of you that haven't had problems with brass are very lucky and an exception.

With NS track, I generally do a scheduled preventative maintenance cleaning of the track once a month (or so). Running trains often does help keep the NS track healthy, but the key is to have both track and wheels kept clean and the use of metal wheels.
My opinion on brass: If the hobby still had nothing but brass track...I would not have returned to it in my retirement. That's how strongly I feel against it.

 

[ChevelleSSguy]

It is called "nickel silver" because the metal contains nickel and was developed to visually resembled actual silver. This happened in the 19th century when metallurgists wanted a material that looked like silver but was cheaper.

See post #11 above.

- Jeff

I suppose I could have done a better job clarifying that. I was really commenting on the color part.

 

[funnelfan]

Having used Brass, Steel and NS track in my younger years as a teenager, I can honestly say you would be wise to just stick to N-S track. The brass track tarnishes badly without regular use and can be troublesome to remove. Steel simply rusts when you get water anywhere near it.

 

[Rotorranch]

Rotor
I like your train outhouse pic. I wonder if there is a model of it.

I've not seen a model of the rolling outhouse, but it is on my list of things to do for my layout.
I also need an HO scale British Police phone box to model Doctor Who's TARDIS.

Rotor

 

[hamltnblue]

Here's the british phone booth
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/bra/bra5437.htm

 

[Rotorranch]

Here's the british phone booth
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/bra/bra5437.htm

Hornby has the correct phone box, but it's slightly large as it's OO scale (1:76.2). It's also available in N scale.

http://youtu.be/9iTD87i0BW4

Rotor

 

[ossroy]

When auto manufactures, hardware manufactures, etc. start using brass instead of zinc to protect their products from corrosion, maybe I'll take another look at brass (not really). I used it for years and cleaning was a never-ending chore. I have seen long-unused brass turn green and fuzzy. Never saw that with NS.

 

[diburning]

There IS a way to corrode Nickle-silver so that it turns green, but you'd really need to screw things up badly to do so. (The former owners/builders of the current club layout did it. They used acid flux (which is only for plumbing; you're supposed to use rosin flux for electronics or anything conductive) when soldering the track joints so this green crud started growing and it spreads. If you scrub it off with a brite-boy, it returns the day after. It's actually pretty scary.)

 

[tooter]

I've not seen a model of the rolling outhouse, but it is on my list of things to do for my layout.

Rotor

Hey Rotor,

It's really easy to make one...

I got the outhouse off ebay, and the truck is off a little mining car.

Greg

 

[Rotorranch]

Hey Rotor,

It's really easy to make one...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b90/compost_bin/Train/5fe28aa9.jpg

I got the outhouse off ebay, and the truck is off a little mining car.

Greg

That's cool! Nicely done!

I know it won't be hard to do, I just have to find an outhouse when I go to the hobby shop. I've only been to the train store about 5 times in the last 5 years since I closed my hobby shop, and that was to get The Kid N scale stuff for Christmas.

One day I'll get around TUIT!

Rotor

 

[ossroy]

 

[Hoppy]

ok back to the brass questions, although oddly I do have an outhouse on my layout LOL, The fella at my local hobby shop (very nice guy but has been consistently incorrect on things I ask him) told me that mixing the brass and nickel silver track together is a bad thing due do, and I qoute: "electrolysis" which I thought had something to do with the hair removal from a woman's leg, so in my warped mind I thought, ok I add a little brass to the track and some guy shows up and shaves my wifes legs. I could live with that?
But then the hobby store guy, John, said that it is when the two metals transfer onto the wheels of the engine, causing electrical problems. Is this actually true, it seems not to make sense to me, or else we would have to ask each time when purchased a used engine or rolling stock " has this engine ever been used on brass" I am currently switching over from steel to N/S track but I have a lot of old, very useful brass switches and was thinking about using them, until I get my allotted funds (code for the money my wife will tolorate on spending on train stuff each month) to get all the N/S switches I need.
Can somebody tell me if this is really going to end the train world I am building, or just another odd answer from my hobby store guy?
Thanks

 

[Hoppy]

thanks for the information and the science behind it.
Hoppy

 

[JimT]

My major experiance with Brass track comes from decades ago. I had no problems with my all brass kid layouts. After 1975 or so a lot of that brass track was in use in my larger more "sophisticated" adult layout. I could never tell any difference, and I watched for it. I do admit to using a couple of masonite on nails Athearn box cars in my freight trains. Later in the early 90's I used a European tight curved switch on a logging helix. No problem, I still have that turnout and will be using it I'm sure.

I guess that I'd use only "the best" of everything if I could afford it, and I can't, not by a long shot. In the meantime I am bound and determined to have a good time.

 

[Herman Green]

I ran a 5 x 10 layout for several years in South Louisiana with lots of track and turnouts, all brass. Had no problems and rarely cleaned it. I wouldn't hesitate to use it again. But talk about a real PITA, I built a 4x8 a couple of years ago, for the grandkids to play with, using brand new Bachman steel EZ track and turnouts that I got in a trade. Have to clean it before every use. Tried all the normal remedies. I'm about ready to pitch it.

Herman

 

[Iron Horseman]

Brass track was used extensively at one time, cause that's all they had.

I cannot think of a time when there weren't other options besides brass. Brass was used because it was cheap and conducted electricity really well. I have Atlas nickel-silver track that has to date from 1958 or so because my grand father gave it to me and has the fiber ties. I think plastic had totally replace the fiber by the mid 1960s. My first entirely nickel-silver layout was 1968ish? I had several layouts through the years with brass track and did not notice the track cleaning issue that others have reported. In fact, I would say I had most track cleaning issues with the club's nickel-silver track. We could not run each week without cleaning first. As someone else already said, spent more time cleaning track than we did running the trains.

When was it first used and when did it go out of favor?

Now that is an interesting question. I know it was used before WWII because during the war many model railroads were ripped up to contribute their rails to the war effort. It went out of favor in the 1980s when people had some extra money they could spend on the "fancier" track.

I was given a bunch of the stuff and only used a couple of turnouts but never had a problem.
Your opinions are appreciated.

I have an entire box of brand new brass rail that I intend to use someday for a layout or at least a module. The real problem is finding anything new to go with it, and fill in the gaps.

 

[trailrider]

I've used brass originally before I could get ahold of any nickel-silver. When I built the layout previous to this present one, I went to N-S on the main line, but used some of the old brass on sidings. I currently have a brass curved re-railer (wish I could find another one...not even on e-bay) mixed in with N-S track, and an Atlas double-slip or two because they work for my layout. I have never had a problem with corrosion. Oh, I occasionally will clean the top of all the rails regardless of composition. There is no question that dissimilar metals can form a galvanic cell in the presence of an electrolyte (salt water, etc.), but I've never seen enough of a problem with N-S & brass rail. Of course, I live in a dry climate. Matter of fact, I just bought a bunch of brass/fiber tie flex track. I don't have room on my layout for it, but you never know when it will come in handy. Paid $1.00 per length.

 

[Cjcrescent]

Had a friend down when I lived in Mobile, in the early 1970's, and his entire layout was brass rail, layout size 14x20. We would run on that thing all day, oftentimes with two others, and have 4 trains running! This was all DC as well. (He had done all of his wiring with automotive rotary switches. He did own an auto parts store). We never cleaned his track at all! I could be away from the layout for weeks and we'd get together and just start running trains.

 

[TomR]

I've used brass originally before I could get ahold of any nickel-silver. When I built the layout previous to this present one, I went to N-S on the main line, but used some of the old brass on sidings. I currently have a brass curved re-railer (wish I could find another one...not even on e-bay) mixed in with N-S track, and an Atlas double-slip or two because they work for my layout. I have never had a problem with corrosion. Oh, I occasionally will clean the top of all the rails regardless of composition. There is no question that dissimilar metals can form a galvanic cell in the presence of an electrolyte (salt water, etc.), but I've never seen enough of a problem with N-S & brass rail. Of course, I live in a dry climate. Matter of fact, I just bought a bunch of brass/fiber tie flex track. I don't have room on my layout for it, but you never know when it will come in handy. Paid $1.00 per length.

Electrolysis is caused by potential difference between two metals in the presence of an electrolyte of some type.

The bulk of track problems model railroaders have are tarnish or surface oxides, and contamination by insulating materials like dirt, dust, or other debris. If we have galvanic issues, it is probably because we have real salt lake next to our tracks. If so, we should change it to freshwater!

The real problem we have is the poor engineering that goes into the connections in the electrical system. The connection is by a few rolling wheels that are poorly connected to the motor or other electronics in our train cars and locomotives. Things we buy almost always use the worse kind of connections in multiple places, so we have unnecessary problems.