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As far as benders go aristo makes one that bends each rail sperately (before you put the ties on, (cost about $90?)), and Train Li makes one that bends both rails at once (done after you put the ties on (cost is $277 incl S&H)). I know other mfgers make them, but I dont know who they are. I personally went with the Train Li bender, and it works nicely, although really the main difference is feeding the ties on after bending the track with the aristo one. I personally though it was a pain doing it with the rail straight, so I bought the Train Li bender, plus if I ever change my layout (heaven forbid, as I am going with concrete roadbed) I can bend the track in place without removing the ties. The short answer on track I believe ( although I am the least unsure of this of every thing I am posting) is that Brass and NS can be mixed - but do double check that answer - I know I read the answer some where, but I cant find where. For track I am going to give a much longer, larger answer than you requested, but here it goes: As far as what type of track goes, this is only head/electrial/HO ( have many years of experience in HO guage indoor knowledge)/told/read knowledge, I havent used each type of track. I went with brass because of price, strength, and I am going batt powered. Somewhere I have the printed info on the different strength & weakness of each type of track, but since I made my decision a few months ago I cant readily find the info, I will answer from memory. I am only speaking of outdoors and soild rail (Bachman,etc track excluded). Here it goes: Types of track avail: Brass, Stainless steel, NIckel silver, Aluminum, Steel. Strengths/weakness of each: Brass-fairly strong, good electrical when clean, eventually weathers to a prototypical color, bend easily with a rail bender, readily avail from various mfgers. weakness : can be kinked by large objects if not properly suported(you for example, but a solid bases should avoid that issue) -but stronger than aluminum, weaker than stainless, oxidazation doesnt conduct electricity (means reagular cleaning is required by those who dont run daily, and use track power) more heat expantion than stainless, less than aluminum. Stainless-strengths extremely durable (shouldnt bend with a misstep), best electrical conductivity at rail head (stainless itself conducts electricity poorer than other metals (copper for example), which may or may not be a problem for you, the reason I state at rail head is it doesnt oxidize causing a non connductive layer at the rail head (but of course dirt, grime, & bird poop doesnt conduct electicity, so some cleaning is required for track power)), least amount of heat expantion/contration, readily avail from various mfgers. Weakness: most expensive, harder to bend, although a bender will bend it (more practice required??) , wont weather (although I have heard some state it did weather, which makes me wonder about the quality of stainless rail, as the name implies it should always stay "silver" in color, it should never rust (unless iorn comes in contact with it, which the iorn will rust and leave a stain on the "stainless" -try using a SOS pad on a stainless steel sink and see what hapends) or change color if true stainless steel. Of course this weathering issue is fixable if you care by using UV resistant paint. Nickel Silver: Coated Brass actually? I know the least about this for outdoor use (but only use it indoors in HO) as I couldnt find a supplier (although I didnt look very hard, as I decided to go with batt power- Ive cleaned enough track indoors), Strengths: over brass alone, it conducts electricity even when oxidized (same dirt/grime issue applies -in HO regular cleaning is required even in the indoor controlled environment). Same or stightly stronger than brass. Weakness, pricer than brass? (it is in HO), I have heard of "flaking" issues with poor quality NS outdoor track - the NS came off of the brass, (now I didnt see this etc, so I am reporting this as second hand, I doubt a rep supplyer of this would have this problem and stay in biz very long). Aluminum: I couldnt find a suppier of it, but once again didnt go to great lengths looking, but Strengths: it should be the cheapest, easy to bend (by hand?), Electricaly so, so ( I am being nice as that is what is in my house and am wroking to remove it, eventually at a pricey sum) Weakness: easiest to bend (by your foot, etc) wont weather without painting, worst heat expantion issue, cant be mixed with any other metal rail (unsure of mixing other types of track to each other), but I know for sure that Aluminum cant be mixed electricaly with other metals. Steel: once again I could find a supplier, but Strengths: Should weather perfectly to match proto rail, electricaly good?, very strong. Weakness: will rust away, I have heard of people saying it became unusable after a few years, after that I quit looking into it. Hopefully that answers your questions, and I stated nothing wrong
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