ModelRailroadForums.com is a free
Model Railroad Discussion Forum and
photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.
Going through my collection of stuff that has been stored for 10 plus years, I found a bunch of brass track. There is enough to do a over under with a few switches. Say about a standard 4'X8' layout.
I never used it when I had my layout. Is there a use for it other then a non working siding? stack up in the junk pile on the layout?
Buzz.
Pull the rail off the ties and cut it into 39 scale foot lengths. Then weather it all rusty and pile it up near a yard shed or randomly leave it laying alongside the track here and there as pieces that had been replaced but not yet picked up by the MOW crew. With lighter weathering but enough to hide the brass it makes a good MOW flat car load too.
That is a good idea. I am sure I could use some of it at the 3 stall engine house I have. I could use a few pieces to hold the wheel sets. I am sure I could make up something else.
Buzz.
Why not use it? Unless the brass is Code 100 and your current layout uses Code 85 on the main lines, the brass, if in reasonably good condition, will make excellent sidings or yard track. Those who look in horror at brass track, just don't know what they have. The flexible brass that is clipped to fiber ties will hold its shape better than the plastic stuff, providing you don't soak it to ballast it. Sure, you have to clean it, especially if you live in a damp climate, but I've got brass track and turnouts that I've had and used for over five decades! In addition, pieces of the fiber ties can be removed from the track and slipped under places where the nickel silver-on-plastic are joined and the joints are too thick for the plastic. You just spike the fiber in place through the holes in the fiber on either side of the rails.
In my eyes, there's nothing wrong with brass track. Back in the 1960's NS track was always way more expensive than the brass. Most modelers used it, and you heard some but in no way a universal complaining. All you have to do is keep it clean if in a harsh environment.
I once operated, 'bout 5 yrs ago, on a layout that was 99% brass track. The owner stated that he hadn't had any kind of a problem since he built the layout 25 yrs ago. He had what I would call extremely dirty track, but nary a loco skipped a beat.
Maybe it was because he was still using a DC system, where the dispatcher assigned the power to the block thru some rotary switches. We all know that DCC is more sensitive to dirty track.
If you put the electrical performance aside then perhaps the biggest single objection to brass track is the color. Even if you weather the webs the rail heads are still yellow. Some can live with it and some can't. Some are happy with the detail and accuracy of a Blue Box GP9 and others won't settle for less than the latest Genesis version. In the end it is the old song: : " its your railroad, do it the way you want ".
I just remember the head ache of brass track as a kid. Crawling around the layout with a rag and track cleaner or the abrasive rubber track cleaner.
I had the Atlas nickle track for 5 years and just ran a single cleaning car. It has a small piece of Masonite dragging under it and i never had a power problem.
Buzz.
... It has a small piece of Masonite dragging under it and i never had a power problem.
Buzz.
That's the cleaning cars that John Allen used on the Gorre & Daphetid. I have a couple plus a Centerline car
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website
(Learn More Here)
