Gargraves Stainless Steel Track ?

[restoman]

I am constructing a 3-rail layout in a large crawl space that I have hollowed out under my home. It is a big project but I am taking my time and when it is completed it will be impressive. It is going to be three teirs high with much room for mountain scenes. I have already been experimenting with gargraves phantom rail track and ross custom switches. The humidity is higher in this area and has caused slight surface rust on some of my gargraves track. and I have yet to install a dehumidifier and heat vents off of a passing heat duct. However my question is how good is Gargraves stainless steel track and does any one out there have experience using it? Concerns are conductivity, flexibility,soldering, and I do like Phantom rail ( which the center rail is not stainless.) I don't want to be hassled with rust on the rails and I thought that if it was made for outdoor use it may just work..

[Anonymous]

Have you asked Gargraves for their guarantee about stainless? I'm not trying to be a smart-aleck, but I would think they'd be up front and honest about their track, especially if they want to continue selling it.

www.gargraves.com

I personally do not have any experience with it, but given the prices, I think it should be pretty good.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Sometimes it is easy to over look things, so I hate to be the one to point this out to you, but Ross switches aren't STAINLESS.

Soldering the phantom rail is rather difficult, and the stainless may be the same, though I haven't tried it.

I have never felt that Gargraves track was intended to be used outdoors, even if the rails are stainless, the ties are not made to stand up to the weather. This seems to be a common misconception.

Stainless rails will also not work with magnatraction, I've never quite understood why, but magnets just don't seem to want to stick to it.

My best advice to you is, condition the air in your space as you had planned, and then build your railroad. You can't fight mother nature any other way and expect to win. Let's face it, electric trains and water (even in small quantities) simply do not mix.

[restoman]

I do realize that Ross custom switches are not stainless steel , I was just trying to eliminate the promotion of rust as best as possible ( especially in hard to reach areas on the layout.) From experience I also know that magnitraction doesn't work properly on Gargraves track due to the isolation between the common rails. I will have to give Gargraves a call and ask some more questions. I thank you for your comments and again if anyone else has any experience with the stainless track I would like to hear from you.