Hello, just started model railroading (HO). Everything was going great until I began ballasting track. I put down the ballast and used a solution of Elmer's Glue, water and a few drops of hand soap. Came down the next morning and all the track where the solution had been applied had turned a bright green. The entire outside track was green, intermittant on the inside. Not too difficult to remove on the tops of the rails, much more difficult on the insides. How do I remove it and how do I secure the ballast without getting the green? Thanks!
If it's kind of a blue-green, it sound like copper oxide. What kind of track are you using? I'm going to guess it's brass track because that's an alloy of copper and zinc. Most likely it interacted with something in the soap and a layer of copper oxide formed on the surface of the rails.
First, the easy part. Instead of soap, use isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) as a wetting agent. It won't react like the soap, and it speeds drying of the glue mixture. I apply the alcohol full-strength first using a pipette, and drip on the glue-water mix.
Second, I would stop using brass track and switch to nickel-silver. Oxidation of brass track leaves a deposit on the track that does not conduct electricity, while any oxidation of NS track leaves a conductive layer, so the trains continue to run. Brass track just needs to be cleaned more often. NS track looks better, too, in my opinion.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasleyuse isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) as a wetting agent
One part 70% alcohol to 5 parts water in a misting bottle works well for me. Avoid full strength 90%, it is a paint stripper - it may clean that green slime
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
It was more than likely the hand soap/hard water that mixed with the oxide that was already on the track. Even brand new track will have some oxide on it, (black) all it needs is oxygen to oxide. And YES you will experience the green on NS track as well, not only brass.
I had an area on My layout that was behind a back drop, double track mainline that was not used in a number of yrs. When I finally got back to working on the layout after a few yrs of it just sitting due to health reasons. I took out the back drop and noticed that some of the rail had green spots all over it. I removed all the track and replaced it. My Chemist friend analyzed the green spots and found it to be a mixture of rain water, dirt, dust and oxidation on the rails. My roof leaked slightly in the spots......since then I have a new roof.
You should be able to use 91% Alcohol to remove it. Also it is better to use Alcohol in Your ballast glue mixture......works a lot better then dish soap and will actually dry a lot quicker......70% alcohol would be fine.
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Take Care!
Frank
Nickel Silver is more or less a type of "brass" (60% copper, 20% nickel, 20% zinc in NS vs. 60-65% copper and 35-40% zinc in brass).
The soap is proabably a bit caustic and corrodes the copper in the rail.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Sorry to hear about the problem your having. I also assume you are using brass track. I have nearly 1000' of brass track laid now for three decades. I use plain old kitty litter put down and "groomed". It comes in different color,size and texture. I found a "type of litter" that is suitable to my eye and purchased several large containers. As nothing is glued down, changes to the track plan are simple as vacuuming up the ballast. This process has served me well for many years and many layout alterations. Some layout basics.......1000' of Atlas and Model Power brass 3' flex track, 100 Atlas brass turnouts nailed to Midwest Cork roadbed on plywood. All track painted railbrown and ballasted. Also underneath the HO layout is 350' of Gargraves track and switches running my O gauge layout. Same process applied and both layouts have served me well for three decades.