http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/17181
Interesting article. However, since graphite is also used as a dry lubricant I have to wonder what it will do to traction, particularly on layouts with grades and grades on curves.
If you read it through, you'll see where that problem is addressed. If you experience a loss of traction, have put on too much graphite.
Mike.
My You Tube
I read thru it. I'll have to see it to believe it! Graphite is pretty slippery. And the layout mentioned is S gauge, not HO or N. And of course, this was forwarded to me to me by an O scale friend, flat lyout.
After years in N Scale, I was sceptical about this, but some modelers I respect kept saying how it helped.
My track has never seen a Brite Boy and has had metal polish treatment. Never clean with anything but alcohol.
I gave it try - I figured the worst that could happen is I clean it off with some alcohol.
I was pleasantly suprised that it made difference. Locos ran smoother and lighted cars no longer flickered.
I'm convinced. I bought a stick of 4h at Micheals and apllied it on about four inches of track about every 25 feet. It's been several months and have not had to redo or seen any reduction of traction.
Probably will need spot touch up after any scenery work that gets on the track and has to be cleaned off, but is worth the time and little bit of effort.
Don
Some that have tried it, do run HO, one person figured out that the graphite helped to "fill in" the old sintered wheels on Athearn BB locos.
Anyway, I've never tried it, don't plan to. I don't have any problems. Joe also talks about using just a quick and light swipe with the graphite stick, on the inside corner of the rail head, in a few places around the layout, and let the wheels spread it around. Using too much, can cause slippage.
Try it out and see if it works. Like I said, I don't have any problems, so I'm not fixing something that's not broke.
The key point here is that graphite lube is either dry flake or suspended in some kind of carrier lubricant -- whereas the product being described here uses a clay or heavy wax binder, carried over with the smear of application. Apply one of these sticks to any surface and feel the result with your fingertip -- it is not a reduction in 'friction' for most casual loading. In those situations where even adhesion with something like Bullfrog Snot is dicey, like using that model with the depleted-uranium chassis to pull 540 cars, you might see tribological effect from the ''graphite' but i'd expect the sticky clay effects to predominate for normal loads and grades...
Graphite does do a pretty good job of conduction--for example, the brushes in our motors.
They were writing a lot about dealing with oxidation of the rails. Isn't it asserted that the oxides of nickel silver are conductive? As opposed to brass? And, if those oxides ARE conductive, why are you adding graphite?
I have been hearing about the marvels of smearing "secret sauce" on rails about as long has I've been playing with (HO) trains. This sounds like another one.
Ed
7j43k Isn't it asserted that the oxides of nickel silver are conductive? As opposed to brass?
This would be a new one on me. Nickel and chrome oxides are insulators anywhere near room temperature; copper oxide is a weird semiconductor at best.
What I think you mean is that the nickel-silver oxide film is comparatively thin, and self-healing, compared to the progressive scurf of oxides and sulfides and stuff that affects brass. So there is less 'insulator' in the layer, at a reliable thinness, for conductivity.
Sometimes we forget that chromium is a hellishly reactive metal -- it forms oxide in a heartbeat in contact with oxygen, and this layer is what effectively 'passivates' items that are chrome-plated. (Or that have chrome in the alloy). Nothing more is needed to keep the underlying metal bright ... and some of its valence electrons reasonably mobile...
Looking at the size of the layout in the article, I can see why they were looking for a 'better" way to address the track conductivity. That is one huge layout. Putting the graphite at random places and letting the trains spread it out has got to be a giant leap forward for them. As early indications show, it appears to be both easy and effective. Works for them.
Pure, or close to pure, graphite sticks are sold for adollar or two at art supply stores, or arts & crafts stores. Much less clay binder than the usual #2 pencil. It isn't a problem.
A few swipes every 10 feet is more than enough.
Overmod 7j43k Isn't it asserted that the oxides of nickel silver are conductive? As opposed to brass? This would be a new one on me.
This would be a new one on me.
It's been model railroading folk wisdom ever since nickel silver rail showed up in model railroading. You might have missed the lecture.
Nickel and chrome oxides are insulators anywhere near room temperature; copper oxide is a weird semiconductor at best. What I think you mean is that the nickel-silver oxide film is comparatively thin, and self-healing, compared to the progressive scurf of oxides and sulfides and stuff that affects brass. So there is less 'insulator' in the layer, at a reliable thinness, for conductivity. Sometimes we forget that chromium is a hellishly reactive metal -- it forms oxide in a heartbeat in contact with oxygen, and this layer is what effectively 'passivates' items that are chrome-plated. (Or that have chrome in the alloy). Nothing more is needed to keep the underlying metal bright ... and some of its valence electrons reasonably mobile...
Nickel and chrome oxides are insulators anywhere near room temperature; copper oxide is a weird semiconductor at best.
Then it sounds like nickel silver oxides would still be effectively conductors in this case. And then one can ask why one needs to coat a conductive medium with another conductive medium.
I will have more on why I think this works and is desirable when I get to a computer with a keyboard. Too hard to fight the phone every sentence.
Consider what a photomicrograph of nickel-silver railhead looks like after a while, with the effect of small sparks from bad contact. The conductive soft carbon fills in the 'asperities' and gives a compliant and laterally-conductive top-dressing film. (Which perhaps not incidentally dissuades ambient dirt or other contaminants from sticking when the periodic Masonite track pad cruises through...)
Oxide of nickel silver is conductive, just mouch worse than nickel silver (which is worse than brass - but brass oxide IS an insulator).
I'm not sure how much the metal polich step of the 'gleam' thing actually helps. The key step it seems to be is the burnishing of the rails with a hardened tool. Against the relatively soft track, that should go a long way to closing up any micro pores in the surface, and in fact after I did that I never cleaned my track again. At worst it got dusty if I went a while without running trains, but since no liquids were used to coat the rails, it didn't stick.
I can't see how pure graphite wouldn;t cause adhesion issues. Compounds like in a pencil might be ok because of the binders, but plain powered graphite is quite a good lubricant. The again - take a pencile, color in completely a good size place on a piece of paper, then run your finger across it - the penciled area is definitely more slippery. I get that graphite can fill in microabrasions in the surface and improve conductivity - but at what cost?
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Overmod Consider what a photomicrograph of nickel-silver railhead looks like after a while, with the effect of small sparks from bad contact. The conductive soft carbon fills in the 'asperities' and gives a compliant and laterally-conductive top-dressing film. (Which perhaps not incidentally dissuades ambient dirt or other contaminants from sticking when the periodic Masonite track pad cruises through...)
That's a great idea. Someone can do some photographs of the before (fresh track), the during (the arcing damage) and the after (what the track looks like after it's been graphited) and afterafter (when it's been used).
I know it can be done, because I did it to settle whether Bright Boys scratch the rail.
I've got other things to do, so I will pass the mantle to someone who's got more time/interest.
I will predict that no one will do it.
7j43kI know it can be done, because I did it to settle whether Bright Boys scratch the rail.
Oh! this is something I want to read in detail! Did you do any comparative examination with, say, stainless or other wools, or metallics of other hardness -- or any of the oxide-abrasive-loaded or hard-plastic scrubber pads?
A good comparison with pictures of railhead 'results' for different pressures and times would be as valuable as those photo repositories showing all the failure-damage modes in bearings and shells. Were the results published or discussed here, or anywhere else that has a link?
Overmod 7j43k I know it can be done, because I did it to settle whether Bright Boys scratch the rail. Oh! this is something I want to read in detail! Did you do any comparative examination with, say, stainless or other wools, or metallics of other hardness -- or any of the oxide-abrasive-loaded or hard-plastic scrubber pads? A good comparison with pictures of railhead 'results' for different pressures and times would be as valuable as those photo repositories showing all the failure-damage modes in bearings and shells. Were the results published or discussed here, or anywhere else that has a link?
7j43k I know it can be done, because I did it to settle whether Bright Boys scratch the rail.
I did it comparing Bright Boy and Pink Pearl and polished rail.
The results were presented on the Free-mo Yahoo group. I think they've shown up elsewhere, but I don't recall where.
If you PM me your e-mail, I'll send you a copy. It is a very simple photographic examination. I only went far enough to determine that Bright Boy DOES SCRATCH RAILTOPS. As that was the purpose of the exercise.