Differences in track?
- Thread starter Tlawrence
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In 1823, a competition was conducted in Germany to find the exact formula that would most closely resemble silver. That's why it is called "nickel silver" despite containing no silver. It has that name purely because it looks like silver, and intentionally so. It's also known a "German silver."
- Jeff
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diburning
AlcoHaulic
The track codes don't have anything to do with the current it carries.
The material does though. There are three types of materials that tracks can be made of: Brass, Nickel Silver, and Steel.
Brass track was made a while ago. It's less conductive than nickel-silver, and when it corrodes, the oxide is non-conductive. Brass is a copper-zinc alloy.
Nickel-Silver (doesn't contain any silver) is the standard today. It doesn't corrode very much over time, and the oxide is still conductive. The rails are not nickel plated, they're solid nickel-silver. Nickel-silver is a copper-zinc-nickel alloy
Steel rails are made by Bachmann and Model Power. They're very conductive, but are a pain to maintain as they also corrode, and the oxide is non-conductive. Also, if you get any arcing between the wheels and the rail, it has the potential to weld the wheels to the rails, especially if you're using Athearn blue box locomotives with the sintered iron wheels.
The material does though. There are three types of materials that tracks can be made of: Brass, Nickel Silver, and Steel.
Brass track was made a while ago. It's less conductive than nickel-silver, and when it corrodes, the oxide is non-conductive. Brass is a copper-zinc alloy.
Nickel-Silver (doesn't contain any silver) is the standard today. It doesn't corrode very much over time, and the oxide is still conductive. The rails are not nickel plated, they're solid nickel-silver. Nickel-silver is a copper-zinc-nickel alloy
Steel rails are made by Bachmann and Model Power. They're very conductive, but are a pain to maintain as they also corrode, and the oxide is non-conductive. Also, if you get any arcing between the wheels and the rail, it has the potential to weld the wheels to the rails, especially if you're using Athearn blue box locomotives with the sintered iron wheels.
N
NP2626
Guest
If there is no silver in Nickel-Silver rail, where did the silver part of the name come from? Not saying there is/isn't silver in the rail, as I don't know.
When I was a kid and had my HO layouts, pretty much all that I could find available had brass rail. It's my understanding that nickel-silver (rail at least) was available as that's what John Allen used on his Gorre & Daphited railroads back in the 50s. I do not recall seeing nickel-silver Snap-Track until the 1970s.
My feeder wires are maybe 10-15 feet apart at places without ill affect and I'm running a Zephyr DCC system.
Once I have cleaned track with a "Bright-Boy" at start up, after a long time between running the railroad, my track cleaning cars keep the track clean, so cleaning isn't a chore.
When I was a kid and had my HO layouts, pretty much all that I could find available had brass rail. It's my understanding that nickel-silver (rail at least) was available as that's what John Allen used on his Gorre & Daphited railroads back in the 50s. I do not recall seeing nickel-silver Snap-Track until the 1970s.
My feeder wires are maybe 10-15 feet apart at places without ill affect and I'm running a Zephyr DCC system.
Once I have cleaned track with a "Bright-Boy" at start up, after a long time between running the railroad, my track cleaning cars keep the track clean, so cleaning isn't a chore.
jeffrey-wimberly
Dr Frankendiesel
You're right. There's no silver in it. It's a copper, zinc and nickel alloy. The zinc gives it a silvery color and that's where the 'silver' in nickel-silver comes from.
jeffrey-wimberly
Dr Frankendiesel
The code # has nothing to do with how much current or what type current the rail carries. It's the height of the rail. Code 100 is .100" high and code 83 is .083" high.
jdetray
Well-Known Member
Nickel silver was first used in China. When it came to the attention of Europeans, it was a mystery, because they did not know how it was made. In the 1700's researchers finally determined that nickel silver was nickel-copper-zinc alloy.
In 1823, a competition was conducted in Germany to find the exact formula that would most closely resemble silver. That's why it is called "nickel silver" despite containing no silver. It has that name purely because it looks like silver, and intentionally so. It's also known a "German silver."
- Jeff
N
NP2626
Guest
Interesting! Having been in the metal stamping business I've made many parts, like solder tabs, from Nickel. Nickel can be very shinny, mirror like in some instances. It is valued for it's electrical conductivity. When I worked with it, the parts we made were for Gould National Batteries, a producer of Nickel-Cadmium batteries, later SAFT America.
I never thought about Nickel-Silver until it was brought up here in this thread. I just assumed it had some percentage of silver in it, albeit a very small percentage! Since making my post yesterday, I have Googled it and have a better understanding of it's composition, now. I wonder if Nickel-Silver has larger uses, then the rail for model railroading?
I never thought about Nickel-Silver until it was brought up here in this thread. I just assumed it had some percentage of silver in it, albeit a very small percentage! Since making my post yesterday, I have Googled it and have a better understanding of it's composition, now. I wonder if Nickel-Silver has larger uses, then the rail for model railroading?
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Almost all belt buckles are made with Nickel silver as well as strap connectors on purses etc. Dermatologists will tell you that when people have allergic reactions to metals, causing severe hives and sometimes bleeding, It's almost always Nickel silver as the culprit. It can be knocked down with cortisone creams but they are not good for you in the long run at all.
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