blackening brass track

[RR Redneck]

I think that we have all experienced that at some point or another.

[underworld]

This idea scares the stuffing out of me, i wouldn't do it nor would i recommend it.

Rgds Ian

It does seem a bit involved. I have to say I do like my slightly rusted 3-rail track!!!

underworld

[Anonymous]

This idea scares the stuffing out of me, i wouldn't do it nor would i recommend it.

Rgds Ian

[underworld]

tangerine-jack Thanks for the "recipes"!

I saw someone that had weathered HO brass track....first they coated the tops of the rail with solder...to give the shiny look of frequently used mainline rail....and then they weathered the sides. It was hand laid track with wooden ties and it looked like the real thing. I think I have a photo of it somewhere....going to try to find it.

underworld

[underworld]

You wont see me disagree with Tom too much; but i bought some track that had been artificially blackened when i first got inot this hobby. It has been a constant source of trouble as far as conductivity is concerned ever since and i wish i had never bought it. I am gradually replacing it with nice new shiny stuff.

Rgds Ian

What they used to blacken is the problem. I have some 3-rail that has the center rail blackened, I don't know how they do it but it conducts just fine. It's GarGraves for pre war 3-rail. I would have bought un blackened rail but this is all that they offer. What brand of track do you have the trouble with?

underworld

[tangerine-jack]

Sure, paint will work fine, no reason it wouldn't.  The thing is the aesthetics.  I personally like the natural, real world look of true weathered rail.  I think it looks great in the natural environment of my garden, and it changes with the seasons along with the plants.  Painted rail to me looks artificial and out of place.  Sooner or later the paint will wear or chip off, leaving nice shiny rail showing through that will have to weather out naturally anyway. 

BUT- it is a personal choice of what looks "right" to you, natural weathering or paint, it's all good if YOU enjoy it.

[brochhau]

What about spray paint?  I'm working on an indoor layout, but spray paint should hold up outdoors I would think.

I put some 3-in-1 oil on the top of the rails to make cleaning easier.  Then dust the sides of the rail with Krylon brown primer, a few spurts of flat black, and a little flat grey.  Then wipe the top of the rail with a rag.  The oil doesn't allow the paint to stick to the top of the rail.

I'm still experimenting with this, but I like it a lot.  Might be worth a try on some spare rail.

Scott

 

[newto gscale]

thanks for the reply but it sounds a bit over my head so i think i may just try the alredy made in a bottle

[tangerine-jack]

You could always try my chemical soup.  I do have a degree in chemistry, or at least I spent a few years spending money at college for a piece of paper that tells me so (that and $1.43 will get you a cup of coffee at the quickie mart). 

 

Copper sulphate and copper carbonate are common chemicals in any chemistry set and are available through better hobby stores or by mail order.  Potassium permanganate is an industrial sanitizer used in many dairy farms and food production facilities as well as by most municipal water works, Feed and seed stores usually have it as well as other agricultural supply places (if you ask nicely maybe a dairy farmer will give you a cup for free- I don't think anybody here has enough track to justify a 55 gallon drum).  Ammonia is common in household cleaners; if you look on the label and comparative shop then purchase the brand with the highest concentration of ammonia.

 

Using ammonia alone will work, but the metal will have to soak for a longer time to see the results.

[Anonymous]

Tom; as a side issue the joiners i put into the mixture did blackend to to a very nice silvery black after 2 - 3 days but you would want to not put this on the surface where the trains run i would think. However i'm not sure on this as although the joiners are this colour they still solder nicely, so maybe although it is blackish it may be a good conductor of heat, electricity and allow soldering, I am not sure.

The mixture is 1 part swimming pool acid to 4 parts water, salt water straight out of the pool is ok but so is drinking water.

Rgds ian

[ttrigg]

K:
I don't know if this idea will work or not, but here it is. In 1978-1980 when I was stationed in Germany, I got hooked on N scale. The type of rail I was using then did not want to blacken with the agents available to me then. One Train Store owner in Nurenberg advised me to use swimming pool acid (just like I told Ian to use when cleaning the inside of dirty rail joiners before soldering) to remove the surface coatings and then apply the blackening chemicals. It worked then. Like I said, don't know if it will work in this case, because I don't know the difference/similarity between the metal compositions of the different rails. Just thought I toss out an old idea that was passed on to me many years ago.

[kstrong]

Not all rail oxidizes at the same rate. LGB's rail is famous for quickly taking on a nice, weathered appearance in short order. Sunset Valley's brass rail is similar, though still not as quick. Aristo-Craft and AMS rail seem both to be particularly unresponsive to the weather. I've got a length of Aristo-Craft rail that's been outside for three years that's still pretty yellow. Not quite as shiny as new, but nowhere near dull and tarnished. The AMS rail in my back yard is still pretty yellow after 18 months outdoors. The rail joiners have darkened a bit.

A while back, I did some experimenting with blackening the rail. I found Aristo-Craft rail to be almost impervious, at least to the chemicals I was using. The AMS rail did darken with the blackener, but not as effectively as other alloys. This summer, I want to revisit the idea, to see if being out in the weather for a while has had any effect on the rail's resilience. It's also been suggested to clean the rails with a flux prior to brushing on the blackener.

Right now, everything in the back yard is white, so until that melts, I'm not doin' nuttin.

Later,

K

[RR Redneck]

I was going to say what Mike said. I left my brass track outside (Aristo 330) and in a couple of months the gleen is gone and it looks prototypical. I read the same article and shook my head when I read about chemically blackening the rails when they nicely weather on their own. But to each his/her own.

I didnt read the article, but I have been noticing it on my narrow guage line at home.

[Anonymous]

Repeating newtog scale's post: Do any of the commercial or home made products damage the pastic ties? I have an indoor layout and don't think my Aristo-craft brass track will be weathering much on it's own.

Thanks, Jim

[ttrigg]

I was going to say what Mike said. I left my brass track outside (Aristo 330) and in a couple of months the gleen is gone and it looks prototypical. I read the same article and shook my head when I read about chemically blackening the rails when they nicely weather on their own. But to each his/her own.

ME to!  When I order a couple of packets of LGB "flex", it will sit outside and weather for at least 3~6 months before it all goes in.  I have a workbench just behind the "yards for RbFSRy and the new track is removed from packaging and placed on the bottom shelf to age.  By that time all the shine is gone and starting to look a little brown.  that is why I have to scrub so hard with the wire wheel on the grinder.

[FJ and G]

I was going to say what Mike said. I left my brass track outside (Aristo 330) and in a couple of months the gleen is gone and it looks prototypical. I read the same article and shook my head when I read about chemically blackening the rails when they nicely weather on their own. But to each his/her own.

[Anonymous]

The drywall sander I am refering too is on a pole and uses a nylon screen. It will remove the crud very easily, but not sand down the brass itself.

 

dan

[Anonymous]

Jack are you drinking this stuff as well, is this why you havent been so active on the forum lately.

Rgds Ian

[Mike Dorsch CJ&M r.r.]

You can give your track a couple of years outside and do nothing to them and the shine will be gone all by itself . Mine are all dirty on the sides and dull and I did nothing to them . I guess if I was to weather my rails I would airbrush and weather the rails in the house before I laid the track . Then as was stated earlier in this thread use a drywall sander with 600 grit to clean the rail tops .You can see in this picture the rails after they have been outside for a couple of years .

[newto gscale]

Tangrine jack you have helped me with other questions so i will give it a try just one more question make that two questions.#1 where do i find the chemicals to make the wash.#2 what is the best way to apply it to the track.Also will it damage the plastic ties. Thanks once again

[tangerine-jack]

Why not chemicaly darken the brass yourself?  Chemical darkening has zero affect on conductivity.  Here are a few good recipies you can try at home:

Black for brass:
200 gm copper carbonate
1 lit ammonia /
25%/ Cold immersion!

Brown for brass:
5 gm copper sulphate
50 gm potassium permanganate
1 lit water Hot immersion(90 C)!2-5 min.

Yellowishbrown to orangered for brass
100 gm copper sulphate
50 gm sodium chlorate
1 lit water Hot immersion (90C)!

[Anonymous]

You wont see me disagree with Tom too much; but i bought some track that had been artificially blackened when i first got inot this hobby. It has been a constant source of trouble as far as conductivity is concerned ever since and i wish i had never bought it. I am gradually replacing it with nice new shiny stuff.

Rgds Ian

[ttrigg]

how does the use of m-24 antique black affect the flow of electricity to the engine since my trains get thier power from the tracks

None!
1) Make your mechanical and electrical connections first!
2) You will be cleaning your rail tops anyway, with some kind of LIGHT abrasive (light drywall sander or 400 grit sand paper or finer) any way.

[Anonymous]

You will only be applying the black to the sides of the track not the surface where the trains get their power from. Even if you do get paint in the surface, a good swipe with a drywall sanding screen will clean them right up very easily......

 

dan

[newto gscale]

 In the feb issue of g r rolfe black talked about blackening brass track.I also like the look of it compared to the look of shiney or dull brass track. My question is how does the use of m-24 antique black affect the flow of electricity to the engine since my trains get thier power from the tracks and not from batteries.I do not want too apply and then find out my trains have no power. I enjoyed the article and the pictures are awesome