Any Truth about Micro Engineering Weathered Flex track

[Allegheny2-6-6-6]

I am building a new pike and I am going to need quite a bit of flex track. I really like Micro Engineering weathered flex track. The part of how hard it is to bend doesn't phase me one bit. I rather like that characteristic as it will hold it's shape unlike Atlas which resembles my ex mother in laws spaghetti. I was told that there were electrical conductivity problems with the M/C pre-weathered flex track. Is there any truth to that or is it just another Internet rumor. I would think a simple Ohm meter test before you lay the track should dispel any doubt but just figured I would check in here first.

[Don Z]

I have laid quite a bit of the ME weathered track. I was able to solder it without having to remove the weathering, and locos will run down the rails with the weathering still on the railhead.....I hope this helps.

Don Z.

[bogp40]

I've never heard or experienced any issues with it. The only thing is the care needed to not kink it for turns. That doesn't seem to bother you though.

[Allegheny2-6-6-6]

Well I just figure for what it cost you have no choice but to take your time. I kinda thought the story sounded a little bogus

[trainnut1250]

I've laid several hundred feet of both weathered and unweathered and you are correct in that the conductivity thing is a rumor with no basis in fact.

I do prefer unweathered ME flex though. The reason is that it is easier to solder feeders and joiners to the unweathered track. Using the weathered you have to burninsh the area with a wire wheel to get a clean solder joint. Not a huge deal until you do it several hundred times. I paint my track anyway, even the preweathered, so it made sense for me to switch to unweathered.

IMHO Preweathered of not, ME is great stuff.

Guy

[dknelson]

The weathering is a chemical patina, not a paint, which is why it is not an insulator.  In fact Micro Engineering sells the chemical in bottles so you can weather your own track or turnouts -- having said that it is difficult to match the deep color of their preweathered track by applying the patina fluid.  Some nickle silver rail that Peco uses turns green first!

Dave Nelson