paint rails before or after ballast

[BlueHillsCPR]

I "paint" the rails and ties before putting the track on the layout. I use Neo-Lube on the track, it's actually an electronics lubricant that colors the track dark gray and conducts electricity. So far I've never seen it peel off like paint does. Anyone, after that I paint about half the ties with brown or dark gray paint so there's a mix of black, brown and gray ties.

The Neolube looks interesting but seems a bit costly at $14.55 for two ounces.

How much rail can be done with a bottle?  What do you do about the top of the rail where it is polished by the wheels?  Are you only treating the sides with the neo lube?  Thanks. 

 

[wjstix]

I "paint" the rails and ties before putting the track on the layout. I use Neo-Lube on the track, it's actually an electronics lubricant that colors the track dark gray and conducts electricity. So far I've never seen it peel off like paint does. Anyone, after that I paint about half the ties with brown or dark gray paint so there's a mix of black, brown and gray ties.

[markpierce]

 I recently started to ballast my track after I painted them with rail brown. Now after the ballast has dried and some  of it gets stuck to the inside rail, I pick it off with a tooth pick or something . Now I see that the paint comes off with the ballast. By the way its hand painted with fouquil paint. Any suggestions to paint before or after ballast???

Assuming I understand your track-laying and rail-painting procedures, you've (almost) answered your own question: paint the rails after you've cleaned any ballast off the rails.

....But when I use manufactured track (as opposed to handlaid) track, I spray-paint both ties and rails before ballasting.  From the sides, I first spray-paint a rust color.  From above, I spray-paint brown, black and grey colors.  I don't ballast soon after, but wait until after completing basic scenery (ballast should be on top of dirt).  Thus, I don't usually have a problem with errant ballast on rails picking off rail paint.  If I did, I'd touch up when there is a need.

Mark

Mark

[grayfox1119]

Some say to spray paint after the tracks are laid, others paint first before laying the track. The folks who spray after the tracks are laid say that this way the paint doesn't show cracks at curves as may/do get when you spray first and then bend the flex track to form curves. I prefer to spray first outside ( or in a spray booth if that is what you have ) for better ventillation and no concern about overspray anywhere on the layout. My feeling is, how much of big deal is it to touch up any cracks that might show afterwards at curves?

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I paint 10 three foot sections of rail at a time using Restoleum brown. I spray them at approximately a 30 degree angle. Then I move to the other side and spray the remaining rails. 

Same thing I do, except I use Rust-Oleum Rusty Metal Primer.

[ccaranna]

At the bottom right of this page is a search function.  This topic appears fairly often, and has been discussed at length.  I found one thread that may be of use to you.

http://cs.trains.com/forums/1061870/ShowPost.aspx

 

Nobody is going to want to read 41 posts.  Reading through that is like getting a new job and having 40 different bosses tell you what to do.  Doesn't really help.  How about this, courtesy of MR:

 

http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=379

[topcopdoc]

I paint 10 three foot sections of rail at a time using Restoleum brown. I lay the tracks about 1-2 inches apart across 2 sawhorses outside. I spray them at approximately a 30 degree angle. Then I move to the other side and spray the remaining rails. The next day I return with a wide brush and black paint and do the ties usually in one quick pass.

You can do the ties with Rustoleum black by holding the can at a 90 degree angle above the track either method works well. I do the switches by hand with a brush and a small can of Rustoleum. I touch-up after laying the track.

The paint is very inexpensive and large sections of can be painted quickly. The results look good and you don't have to be a Van Gogh to do it.

Doc

 

[twhite]

Ditto to Jeff and Loathar.  I use cans of Floquil boxcar red, grimy black and rail brown, spray the rails first--masking off turnout points, of course, clean off the railheads immediately, then let it set for about a week before ballasting.  Any bits of ballast on the inside of the rails can be touched up with either rail brown or boxcar red, but after a week, the paint has adhered to the track well enough that usually just the ballast comes off, not the paint.  Then vacuum. 

Tom

[loathar]

Paint, ballast, touch-up.

I let my paint dry at least a week before I ballast.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Paint, ballast, touch-up.

[rlandry6]

I'm doing N scale and I'm going to airbrush mine with rail brown before I ballast. I don't want the ballast to be the same color as the track and ties.

[justinjhnsn3]

My dad and i Paint out track a rail brown first them balast it. The rail brown we use is a oil based paint. We actualy spay it on over the tracks. The only part we mask off is the switch points on our switches.

[selector]

At the bottom right of this page is a search function.  This topic appears fairly often, and has been discussed at length.  I found one thread that may be of use to you.

http://cs.trains.com/forums/1061870/ShowPost.aspx

 

[SpaceMouse]

I paint it first then touch it up.

[baron9]

 I recently started to ballast my track after I painted them with rail brown. Now after the ballast has dried and some  of it gets stuck to the inside rail, I pick it off with a tooth pick or something . Now I see that the paint comes off with the ballast. By the way its hand painted with fouquil paint. Any suggestions to paint before or after ballast???