Large scale newbie question

[GearDrivenSteam]

I've been wondering, how is electrical conductivity affected on an outdoor layout? Aristo Craft's brass track says it's good for outdoor use as well as indoor, but I have to wonder about that brass oxidizing. How bad of a problem is it? I am thinking it must not be too bad as popular as garden railroads are. Am I wrong?

[cacole]

The brass in AristoCraft, LBG, and other brands of G-scale track is an entirely different composition than the old HO scale Atlas indoor track, and does not corrode anywhere near as bad.  I have had AristoCraft track outdoors for four years now and have noticed very little change in its color.

I run solely on battery power, so even if my track does eventually corrode it will have no detrimental effect on operation.

[Tom The Brat]

Many use brass in the garden. You can also use Aristo Stainless as the stainless oxide is conductive. It's not a complete solution as track gets other things on it that aren't conductive like smashed ants, dog pee, slug highways and tree sap.

Of course, if you put batteries in the loco, then you don't care if your track is conductive.

[ttrigg]

Robert;

I use LGB Brass with Split Jaw rail clamps and have never had a problem with conductivity caused by corrosion.  The major portion of my layout has been in place for just over two years.  When I order a shipment of the 'flex' track, I always set it outside to "age" before using.  When I'm ready to use it, I take it to the wire wheel and clean up the bottom and sides of the rail, leaving the top alone.  I solder a pair of the 5 foot sections and use the rail clamps on these "10 ft." sections. 

I have had conductivity problems with "foreign objects", leaves, rocks (1/8 inch minus ballast) kicked up by the dogs, dog deposits, bird droppings, and of course with the chipped bark mulch that covers the rose beds.  (These are not so much electrical as derailment problems.)  About every two months or so I make a quick trip around the track with a plasterers pole sander with some 2,000 grit sand paper to clean the rails, it takes about five minutes to do that task.  I do it fast and light enough so as to not make the track shiny, but rather to just clean off the other debris. 

[Anonymous]

The only problem you can expect from oxydisation of brass rail is to the surface where the locos pick up power from them. This varies a lot from place to place, i have to clean my track weekly as i have problems with living close to salt water and i have a lot of ferns and palms which seem to cause a bit of trouble as well. And now there is is this problem with ants leaving a slight acid trail on the rail as well.

But all in allit isn't toobad and in any case i have an LGB track cleaning loco, so it isn't all that much of a problem.

Ian

[GearDrivenSteam]

Thanks fellers. Sounds like brass is the way to go. Can somebody elaborate on these rail clamps? A picture would be great. Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

GearDrivenSteam:    Here you go:

 

http://www.railclamp.com/

[cacole]

Hillman is another company that makes good rail clamps:  http://www.hillmansrailclamps.com/

[GearDrivenSteam]

Thanks fellers. I hate to say this, but yall are a lot more cordial over here than the MRR forums. I appreciate the help a bunch. Please excuse any future stupid questions as this large scale stuff is all new to me.

[cacole]

I use both forums, and the Garden Railways bunch do seem to be more cordial, mature, (old geezers) and willing to help.

There are too many immature types on that other forum who seem to get their jollies by posting nasty comments.

And please note that I'm one of those old geezers, so no offense is intended when I use that term.

I was a G scale newbie myself just a few years ago.  I've been modeling in HO for 40 plus years.

Does that make me a HOG modeler now?

[GearDrivenSteam]

Well, where I'm from, I'd pronounce that HAWG modeler. I'm 41, but my parents had my sister and me late in life. My father was 40 years my senior, so most all our friends and relatives were the same. I get told all the time I should be older than I am. Nothing wrong with bein an old geezer. It's a feat to have outlived your youth to get there. Yeah, I've posted some not nice stuff over there, myself, but if you notice, it's always because some little snot nose or some rude moron started it first. I'm a nice guy, really. I like nice people, too. But when somebody pulls my chain for no reason, I can pull back real hard.

[Anonymous]

I do believe i am the oldest member of this forum i will be 70 in December.

On the joining rail, when i first got into garden railways i read a textbook put out by Kalmbach and i was particularly impressed by what Jack Verducci had to say, i have followed his advice to the letter and it has all worked out for me on everything he had to say. Very practical. What i do is to join all pieces of rail with an LGB rail joiners and then i solder them. Every so often i will sectionalise the track and use a Hillman clamp and every set of points (switches) are treated as a section and i use Hillman clamps on them as well;to allow for easy removal for service and i cannot tell you how often i have been glad that i did this.

Rgds ian

[Anonymous]

Just another geezer here, too.  I'm new to GRR also, but my knowledge has increased exponentially since I joined the forums (fora?).   Nice bunch too. 

[cacole]

I do believe i am the oldest member of this forum i will be 70 in December.

Yep, that beats me by one month -- my 70th is in January.

[GearDrivenSteam]

Certainly there's no lack of experience here. This is a good forum. Another point I like about it is that I see several places where the moderator (Rene) takes place in the conversations. That gives a sence of good fellowship. Being an administrator on other forums myself, moderators and administrators participation is a good thing. That just doesn't happen at all on the MRR forums unless a thread needs to be locked. That's just crazy.

[billblankley]

How about an older newbie @75-2/23/31

 

Bill Blankley

[Anonymous]

Well I have lost out on the oldest for a while anyway; what about the most progeny 14 in all 3 children and 11 grandchildren? Also I live closest to the equator at 26 deg south.We had a bloke on from Hawaii for a while, who was much closer than me but he seems to have disappeared.

Rgds ian

[Anonymous]

35 young....

[Anonymous]

"iandor", I knew I liked you for some reason.. I'll be 69 in December.  Christmas eve as a matter of fact.  Enjoy everyone comments and I'm learning a lot................

[Anonymous]

"b&jrr" - 75, wow!  Guess there's hope for me after all.  Don't suppose your a "War eagle" fan, are you?

 

 

[Coogler Rail Line]

Hey there,

What is the model number of the LGB track cleaning loco?  I am sure that I will need something like that when I finally put my track out. 

 

Also, can you buy locos that are battery powered or do you convert locos over to battery power?

 

Thanks,  

 

[tangerine-jack]

Locos can be bought battery equipped, some like USA Trains are easily adaptable to battery powered with a plug in module (available from the manufacturer of course for a small additional fee).

I converted some of my locos to dual power.  Here is a web site that will help:

http://members.shaw.ca/sask.rail/construction/lsbuild/460mods.html

It spotlights the Bachmann Big Hauler, but the principle will follow to other makes.

As far as the original question about brass corrosion and conductivity, the answer is no, it's not a problem at all.  Clean your track every so often (I clean mine maybe 2 or 3 times a year) and you will be just fine.  Here is a photo of my rails, they have been outside now for 5 years.  See for yourself.

[Anonymous]

Jack,

A great web page you have! Great info!!!!

William

[Anonymous]

SRS mate we are nearly brothers, a year and ady between us exactly.

I have met a bloke here on the Sunshine, i think his name is John Livingstone and he was born late in the day of the 22 december 1936 in England and i was born about  6 am  in outback NSW (New South Wales) on the 23 rd and we think we were born within an hour or two of each other as we are 10 hours ahead London.and about 15 to 19 hours ahead of mainland USA.

Rgds Ian