What's the 'best' rail to buy.

[Southwest Chief]

Best rail?  Well I'd personally go with nickel silver since it is not as shiny as stainless, solders so easily, and is very good for electrical continuity.  We rarely have to clean the track for good conductivity.  Not sure if this is useful though since you won't be using track power.  We ended up going almost all battery power, but still have the ability to run track power if needed.  Our switch stand lights are powered through the rail.  The change over to battery wasn't due to bad track power, but mainly for sound control and multiple unit operation. 

But nickel silver rail is not the easiest to find in the more common code 332 track like LGB/Aristo/USA, etc...  However it is pretty easy finding it in SM32 (PECO). 

Another neat thing you can do with nickel silver rail is paint the sides rust color and polish the rail head with fine sand paper and finish up burnishing with a stainless steel washer.  Check out the posts from our HO brethren in the Model Railroader Forums labeled "Gleam".  Amazing results that look just like real mainline rail heads.  Here's a link I found with comparison photos:

Gleam 

As far as being elephant proof?  I remember seeing a photo in an LGB catalog with an elephant standing on LGB brass track.  1986 catalog maybe?

But my code 250 Llagas Creek nickel silver rail sure wasn't elk proof.  One of them big fellas stepped on a section of track and bent the rail vertically (just like Rex's snowplow incident).  I tried and tried with bending and shaping but it just would not go back to true.  Came close and probably would have worked, but I like my rail as smooth as possible.  I ended up cutting the rail up to the bent part from both sides so at least I'd have something worth salvaging.  The entire section was then replaced with new rail.  It helps to plan ahead and purchase lots of extra rail for outdoor layouts.  Helps with shipping costs too to get as much as you can all at once. 

I looked through my layout photos to see if I had one with just the track and this is the best I could find (Llagas Creek code 250 nickel silver rail on their "narrow gauge" plastic ties):

[Rex in Pinetop]

Tom,

Of course I knew you meant Normal when speaking of Elephant proof.  I was just providing an extreme example of how well our track holds up when circumstances go beyond elephants.  Both types of track have their good points.  Brass is easier to work with while SS is virtually maintenance free.  We have a mix of both on our line.

Providing the snow plow driver with an appreciated beverage is a good idea.  Unfortunately we don't live up there during the winter months.  We stay down in the desert during the winter when the weather is fantastic.

[ttrigg]

Elephant proof??

good crushed rock roadbed, as is described many times on the forum, both brass and stainless will be "elephant" proof. By elephant proof, I mean it is very sturdy, will easily withstand feet, wheelbarrows and other heavy items that frequent the garden.

Rex: Please note that I meant the NORMAL items that frequent everybody's garden. Your snowplow far above exceeds the commonly frequented items in a normal garden. I would suggest that this year you provide the driver with a stout mug of warm coco. Then he just might re-direct the blown out snow and ice.

[Rex in Pinetop]

Elephant proof??  Last winter I had a snow plow dump a couple tons of rock and snow on my upper line.  It's next to the road.  The brass rail was bent vertically so my rail bender wasn't much help in removing the "S" bend.  I was able to hand bend it enough to remove the rails from the ties and then persuade them back into service with my trusty 2 lb hammer.  SS might have taken the snow plow damage but if something had managed to put a verticle "S" in it then it would have been a lot harder to put back in service.  Still in most cases I would have to say SS is the best overall.  Brass does have repairability going for it.  

[altterrain]

Er, no I didn't. The quote says "...I do not intend..." (emphasis mine).

That tells me that electrons wouldn't be flowing at any point, so aluminum will do quite well. Certainly if the intention is to be able to accommodate the flow of electrons, then there are better metals than aluminum.

Later,

K

OOPS! I misread that! ..... Brian's down in a TKO!

though that seems like an odd statement to add?

-Brian 

 

 

 

[ttrigg]

"Best" is a personal preference issue. Since you will not be pushing electrons, your choice should be based on the looks and cost. Stainless and aluminum will leave a sliver streak through the garden unless you paint them up first. Brass will age to a very natural brown color all by itself. As far as I'm concerned, aged brass looks the best. Second best would be painted stainless. I have had problems painting aluminum before and getting the paint to stay put. If you have a good foundation, good crushed rock roadbed, as is described many times on the forum, both brass and stainless will be "elephant" proof. By elephant proof, I mean it is very sturdy, will easily withstand feet, wheelbarrows and other heavy items that frequent the garden. I use brass and use the rails as sliders to scoot buckets full of crushed gravel, compost and whatever other supplies I'm working with in the garden. I use the rails a footpath when working on the vegetation.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Toad,  Last time around everybody was jumping on the aluminum wire bandwagon and it took 5 to 10 years for all the really bad things to rear their ugly heads about it!   I had a guy across the street from me move into a brand new house (he was in the aluminum door and window business and really hot on using everything aluminum) and the house was completely wired with aluminum.   3 years later he replaced the wires out to the post lamp cause the aluminum was leaking electricity into the ground and driving his bills crazy!  3 years after that they had a small fire in one of the bedrooms, and wound up rewiring the entire house with copper after fire inspectors told him that it was the aluminum wire and that his whole house was a fire waiting to happen.

Yes. I'd consider aluminum for non powered track, but I don't want any aluminum wiring in my house!  I'll pay the extra for the copper!

[Anonymous]

Yesterday on LA Hard Hats they had a man on there showing new style aluminum wiring!

Was a 80 story apt. building all wired with new aluminum wiring because he said copper was so high this new style aluminum was to code and above code and could go 100 + years unlike the old style.

Makes me think aluminum track now. Just makes you think!

Toad

[kstrong]

Er, no I didn't. The quote says "...I do not intend..." (emphasis mine).

That tells me that electrons wouldn't be flowing at any point, so aluminum will do quite well. Certainly if the intention is to be able to accommodate the flow of electrons, then there are better metals than aluminum.

Later,

K

[altterrain]

I will also build and use some of my own battery powered locos, but I do not intend to have friends come over with DC, AC or DCC locos.

I think you missed this part, K!

-Brian 

[kstrong]

I'd go with aluminum. It's the cheapest of the bunch, and so long as it's on a firm foundation, it will withstand a fair deal of punishment. My dad's Woodland Railway was laid with code 332 aluminum 28 years ago, and it's still holding up very well. My old line was laid with code 250 aluminum, just floating in the ballast. Never had any issues with that either, even surviving a few missteps and the occasional catch on the garden hose. My current line is done with brass, solely because the AMS track was cheaper than Llagas' aluminum at the time.

Stainless track will give you more strength, sure, but the expense--in my opinion--isn't worth it if you're not going to push electrons through it.

Both need to be painted to look "realistic," so that aspect is a wash. If you want the rail to weather naturally to a nice patina, try brass or nickel.

Later,

K

[Anonymous]

stainless steel

Toad

[cabbage]

Well if you are going to be running SM32 then why not simply buy the "Pukkha" PECO SM32 track? I have lots of it and I find that it is very good in the garden and all of my locos have very good gip. It is Nickel Silver, solders easily (for bonding).

I have spent most of the past year building my own track using jigs, wooden sleepers, white metal chairs, brass pins and brass rail.

I have got it down to just under 2 hours per yard....

I would definately recommend that you go for a commercially sourced track -rather than making your own. The reason I am doing it the hard way is that there are no commercial sources of the track that am building and haven't been since pre WW2!!!

Have look at the home page (click the icon below) you want the section right at the bottom of the Welcome page -Part 2 and Part 3 are the articles in question.

regards

ralph

[altterrain]

Definitely stainless. Its easiest to clean off all the live steam goo! and the DCC boys (and us regular DC boys) swear by it. There's a well know live steam guy in our club that also runs track power on his layout and he uses stainless.

Sunset Valley sells SS rail and dual guage (32/45 mm) flex track - http://www.svrronline.com/TrackandRail.html

-Brian 

[cacole]

If you're never going to run track power, even plastic would do.  The choice of nickel silver vs. brass vs. stainless steel vs. whatever usually applies only when the track is powered.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to be using Roundhouse live steam locos outside in a snow-belt city along Lake Erie. I intend to bend much of my own track and use wood ties/sleepers.

It will be O-gauge/SM32. Commercial turnouts.

I will also build and use some of my own battery powered locos, but I do not intend to have friends come over with DC, AC or DCC locos.

If I can get anything I want as far as rails go, what's the best performing rail to buy? Brass, Aluminum, Stainless or Nickel Silver.

Best,

Ignatius