Coat your tracks with what during storage?

[Fordiesel69]

I store my O and HO tracks in the attic where it sees 140 F down to 20 F, it seems to get a gray dull coating.  I will be buying new track and wondered what I should wipe it with to prevent corrosion?  I don;t mind having to wipe it down with alcohol come next season.  My old HO scale track was destoryed, so badly correded it was white and rust. 

[Anonymous]

If you aren't concerned about MagnaTraction then buy any of the track systems in Nickle Silver and your corrosion problem is solved. Atlas and Gargraves both sell Nickle Silver track if I am not mistaken. I used the Atlas system on my layout and love it. The track snaps together and the rails are joined with joiners that ressemble tie plates. IMHO, it is the most realistic track on the market.

[Anonymous]

Is there anywhere else you can store the track?  After seeing firsthand what storing any train related items in an attic can do, I would recommend that you store it elsewhere.

[cwburfle]

Between your description of the high temperature (140 F), and the overall effect on your track, it seems that conditions in your attic are very hostile. I wouldn't store anything in the attic under those conditions.
I do store many things, including some track and trains in my attic with no ill effect.

There may be steps you can take that will improve conditions in your attic, and may improve the envrionment in your home as well.
Attics need to be properly ventilated. In my previous home, we installed a gable exhaust fan that was activated by both a thermostat, and a humidistat. If the temperature or humidity went too high, the fan turned on, and exhausted the poor quality air. Outside air entered through the gable vent on the opposite end, and through the eave vents. (In my area the outside temp is rarely above 90)
We had the same setup in our current house until the roof was replaced.
We had the roofer add a ridge vent along the entire roof. So air enters through the eave and gable vents, and exits through the ridge vent via convection.

When storing items in the attic, we put things inside boxes, and close them up as much as possible.
As I posted above, items stored in my attic have been up there a long time with no ill effect. I have a much worse problem in my garage, where the tools that are blackened, as opposed to being plated, tend to rust, even with an occasional application of WD-40 as a metal protectant.
I think there is a product that one can put the the tool box drawers that is supposed to inhibit rust, but I don't recall exactly what it is. If anybody has any experience with this product. I'd like to read about it. (It would probably work for your track too)

To answer your original question, Caig labs makes a water soluable metal protectant. It smells like fish oil. I have a bottle, and use it on rare occasion. It might do the trick.

[bfskinner]

Boeshield T-9 has always gotten rave reviews. (I've used it on my tools but not on tracks.) Be sure to read ALL the info, including FAQ's. Apply as directed, which involves spraying on, letting sit for a minute or two, and wiping off. Even if you don't use it on track, you can find many uses for it in a shop or garage. Note: one reviewer says that the cans when stored lose pressure more quickly than expected. I haven't seen that, but....

http://www.boeshield.com/

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[dsmith]

I spray my 027 tubular track with WD-40, lay it in a box with lots of newspaper all around and keep it in a tightly closed box.  You might also try to find a storage space that is less humid

[sir james I]

I would go with WD-40 but it's effects seem to wear off over time. A nice coat from an oily rag will stay on there. If you use a spray check for plastic parts and be careful what you use.

[Fordiesel69]

Storing elsewhere is out of the question, I store the locomotives in my desk drawer but all other stuff up there.  No corrosion on cars or transformers, just the track.

I guess I will just coat with oil, because I don;t mind the minor inconvience of wiping down each year.   

[Sturgeon-Phish]

 

WD-40 works for me.

[Anonymous]

Have you considered using some of those vacuum storage bags? You could wrap the track with heavy paper then put that into the vacuum bag, suck the air out, and you are done. No air = no moisture.

[servoguy]

 If you put the track in a sealed bag, put a desiccant in with it and you will not have a rust problem. 

 Do not store die cast zinc parts in a humid, hot attic.  That includes most steam engines and even the trucks on diesels and cars.  Some of the zinc parts will turn to power if they are stored in a hot humid attic.  Florida is definitely a place where trains should not be stored in the attic unless you take precautions to keep them dry.  

Bruce Baker

[mallet.2.10.10.2]

As far as your tool storeage drawers in the garage, I think what you need are silica gel desiccant packs.  These are the little white packs you find at the bottom of most electronics boxes to protect from moisture.  

Desiccant (Silica Gel) and Dehumidifier products Prevent Mold, Mildew, Corrosion, Odors or any kind of Moisture Damage with Desiccant products which includes: Silica Gel Packets, Clay Desiccant Packets, Indicating Silica Gel Packets, etc.  I'm not sure where you can buy these over the counter, but I'm sure they are available in different sizes online.