Brass Track?

[fireman216]

at our last train show there was a vendor that had a HUGE box of brass track that said "free for the taking"....at the end of day 2...none had been taken....it seems nickel silver has won over most of the modelers here in ny...

[Texas Zepher]

Now I'll need to figure out if I want to go w/ code 83 or 100.  I also have a fair amount of old rolling stock and I've heard some old cars don't run on 83 due to the larger flanges.

That is a fairly easy issue.  Code 100 is more sturdy.  Code 83 looks better.  If the looks are worth more than the cost of putting new wheels onto the old cars, the question answers itself.     The only thing I use code 100 track for now is the modular units that go to the shows all the time and take a lot of abuse. 

[Texas Zepher]

I think a good theory to practice setup someone could do would be:

• Set up two circles on a small peice of board, one NS the other brass.
• Get two locos that you don't need/want anymore and place one each per track.
• Wire up feeders to both.
• using the feeder wires without a power supply hooked up, take resistence of each of the test systems.  Jot down the system resistences.
• Hook up a power supply and set them to about 50-60% throttle and let them run for a few hours.
• Power everything down, disconnect the Power Supplies and take system resistences again.
• Hook back up, run for a few more hours....

Repeat this process for a few iterations and plot the degridation of system resistence and post results on these boards!

  Good idea.  I've been trying to formulate a workable experiement for all the iffy issues of track and track cleaning methods.  I have not been able to come up with one that would be practical.  A duplicate loop of track for each variable consumes soooo much space.  Not to mention the set of exact duplicate locomotives/cars with various wheel types that it would require.

[Cannoli]

I've got a good stash of old brass track that I plan on using for MoW scenery.  I’ll cut up some of the rails and stack them up and such.  Got a flat car just waiting to haul some rail.  

This is exactly what I did with all my old brass sectional track I used building my first layout in the early 80's. 

 

 

[claymore1977]

I think a good theory to practice setup someone could do would be:

• Set up two circles on a small peice of board, one NS the other brass.
• Get two locos that you don't need/want anymore and place one each per track.
• Wire up feeders to both.
• using the feeder wires without a power supply hooked up, take resistence of each of the test systems.  Jot down the system resistences.
• Hook up a power supply and set them to about 50-60% throttle and let them run for a few hours.
• Power everything down, disconnect the Power Supplies and take system resistences again.
• Hook back up, run for a few more hours....

Repeat this process for a few iterations and plot the degridation of system resistence and post results on these boards!

I'd offer to do it, but I have neither the room nor the brass track!

[jambam]

Thanks for all the replies.  Suppose I'll go w/ all NS track.  Now I'll need to figure out if I want to go w/ code 83 or 100.  I also have a fair amount of old rolling stock and I've heard some old cars don't run on 83 due to the larger flanges.

[Loco]

I've got a good stash of old brass track that I plan on using for MoW scenery.  I’ll cut up some of the rails and stack them up and such.  Got a flat car just waiting to haul some rail.  Even thought of having a scene where some train robbers blew up some track, or a train wreck.... It would come in hand for that as well.  Might as well use the old stuff.  (Now where did I put that dynamite...)

[Metro Red Line]

Melt all that brass and make a nice loco out of it :)

 

[CAZEPHYR]

I have a fair amount of brass HO code 100 track that's 30+ years old and in surprisingly good shape.  But of course not enough to do a new layout.  Any issues w/ combining this w/ the current code 100 track that's available today?  I assume the color of the rails would be off, but I would plan to use the brass track in a less visible location.  I just hate to throw it away.

The only issue iwith brass mixing brass and nickel silver track is your trains will run on the nickel silver track and unless you clean the brass track almost daily, you will push your equipment around the brass section of the track.   This can be very discouraging.

Many people have left the hobby because of brass track and can you believe it, some model engines had brass wheels that were not plated many years ago.   A brass wheel that picks up electricity on brass track is oxidation at its best. 

  Brass track was obsolete about thirty years ago and your track probably does look good since it was not used.   If you use it in tunnels so no one sees the track, you will be in the tunnel moving your equipment by hand most of the time.    This is not fun.

The smart thing to do is;  " Throw it away!! "   

[mlehman]

If you put it back where it's not so obvious, then it'll also be hard to reach when you need to clean it...

And you will be cleaning it.

If you live where it's perpetually dry, it might be worth the trouble.  Near the ocean? Fugeddaboutit! Even the midwest can be dicey, especially if there is a basement involved.

Just as on real RRs, proper investment in high quality components goes a long way toward reducing unnnecessary maintenance. When I was young and poor, brass track seemed like it was worth the savings. Once you've gone to nickel-silver, you won't want to go back. The best decision I ever made in model railroading was to always spec track as NS. 

As for needing fewer power feeders with brass track, you should have a feeder on every sepearate piece of track, no matter whether it is brass or NS. Sometimes, I make an exception for a special piece of trackwork, but then I always rely on soldering the rail joiners to ensure electrical conductivity. Relying on rail joiners for electrical contact solely through the mechanical crimp connection is one more place where penny-wise is pound foolish. 

I am into narrowgauge, so maybe that skews my obsession with electrical performance of track. We generally rely on a single, often cranky steam loco model for motive power, so dead spots in the track for any reason are just problems waiting to happen. If you'll always be relying on lashups of diesels MUed together, then maybe it's not such a big deal.

YMMV

[colvinbackshop]

I have to agree whole heartedly with Texas Zepher on this one....I never had any additional problem with brass. It was what I had on my first MRR empire in 1960. As a matter of fact I know a fellow that still uses it through-out his pike.

In all honesty, it is a much better conductor of electricity and the N.S. track needs more feeders, more often than the bass ever did! If you do feel there may be a concern with compatibility (corrosion or what ever), just use an insulated joiner between the brass and N.S.

I have some brass turnouts that I'm not going to use....Interested? Email me.

[Texas Zepher]

I have a fair amount of brass HO code 100 track ...  Any issues w/ combining this w/ the current code 100 track that's available today?

To answer your question - no.  There should not be any problem mixing it with today's nickel-silver (which is really almost brass anyway).  I don't believe I would mix it with steel track though.

I used brass track for 20 years and don't recall having any more trouble keeping it clean than I do now with the NS.   I've got a huge box of brass track I've been accumulating.  I'm saving up until I have enough for a whole layout before I use it.  I just don't like how it looks when it is nice and shiny.

[jambam]

I have a fair amount of brass HO code 100 track that's 30+ years old and in surprisingly good shape.  But of course not enough to do a new layout.  Any issues w/ combining this w/ the current code 100 track that's available today?  I assume the color of the rails would be off, but I would plan to use the brass track in a less visible location.  I just hate to throw it away.