Track quality from L.Polk

[enginear]

Posted with permission from Aristo:

TRACK IS NOT TRACK

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YOU GET 30% LESS COPPER IN ALL OTHER BRANDS OF TRACK OTHER THAN ARISTO-CRAFT  (AND USA TRACK, TRADEMARK OF USA TRAINS, NOT RELATED TO ARISTO-CRAFT)  

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN G-GAUGE TRACKS.

TRACK IS NOT JUST TRACK, AND THE TYPE OF TRACK CHOSEN DOES MAKES A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE OPERATION OF YOUR TRAINS

• All other brass G Gauge track makers use a Code C28000 OR CODE 37700 Brass material that has 30% less copper in it than Aristo-Craft track does. Aristo-Craft uses Code C23400, which is 85% Copper as compared to the 59% copper ratio to zinc in the other brands.

• Aristo-Craft provides screws to allow for the rail joiners to conduct power between sections and to hold the ties to the rail. Others do not and this is an expensive step in the production of track. Nothing promotes better operation than your track system!

• One's rail size is not 332, but 354 or larger. You might need a transition piece to work with the other 332 tracks on the market. Also, there is no way to secure the rail joiners to the rails and they will loosen in use out of doors.  The rail is roughly rolled, not extruded through a precise mold formation to an exact size.

• One uses an atypical length for their track, so some track plans will need to be modified.

• One does not use the same type of flexible plastic material for its ties, so the material is not as flexible as other makers.

• One's rail joiners are press fit and are not likely to stay connected as well as Aristo-Craft's screw method or LGB's clip method on outdoor track.

• Other maker's rail will cause your trains to noticeably slow down when moving from an Aristo-Craft section to their track section due to the less copper content differences (see below).

• Other maker's rail oxidizes more quickly and thus requires cleaning much more than Aristo-Craft track before operating smoothly.

• Aristo-Craft has a lifetime warrantee on its ties and the others do not.

• Other Stainless Steel track makers use a totally different grade of Stainless Steel. Not all stainless is alike and we specifically chose one that is far more rugged in the elements as Code 304. You can ask the others what grade they use and then check the pricing on the international markets for that day. I'm talking about substantial differences in price and in performance depending on the part of the country you're in.  Anyone can buy raw materials and knock out a product, but is it the best you can get? When we started with track 20+ years ago we made it the very best we could, not less than was available on the market then. You can choose, but be informed as to the differences in the product you choose.

However, Aristo-Craft will make its 332 "Flex" track only in the lowered standard brass material to match price in this inflationary commodity period. We realize that there are people that run battery and the price, not conductivity is more essential than the quality of operation. However, we will label the packaging carefully, so you know what you're getting. It's up to you! I can tell you that track and it conductivity makes all the difference in the world as to the operation of your trains. The choice as an informed consumer is yours to make!
Dealers, do you really want to stock another line of track and increase your inventory costs. Aristo-Craft track is readily available from us or your favorite wholesaler to buy along with other products you get from them.  Aristo-Craft Train's Brass Content Information Red Brass C23400 is generally regarded as the most durable of all metals for commercial water pipe in the practical price range.  Nominally composed of 85% copper and 15% zinc, this alloy is excellent for its resistance to dezincification and season cracking for which the high copper brasses are known.  It has moderate strength and good retention of spring properties.  Resistance to pitting is also particularly good. Hot and Cold Working:  C23400 has good hot workability and excellent cold workability.  It is excellent for drawing, spinning, stamping, blanking, or any drastic cold working operations.  The metal for this type of operation is furnished in an annealed condition and is classified by grain size, making it easily measurable by both the producer and the consumer, and giving a direct relation to overall mechanical properties. Joining:  Joining by soldering and brazing is excellent.  Good joints can be obtained by oxyacetylene and gas-shielded arc welding.  Rod, bar and wire may be resistance flash butt-welded. Applications:  C233000 is frequently specified for underground service lines assembled with threaded connections because it offers greatest corrosion resistance to all types of potable waters.  Specific applications include costume jewelry, fire hose couplings, and zippers.  Because of its availability in several forms, and because of its rich inherent color, it also has become extremely popular as an outdoor metal and has found for itself a very important place in modern architecture.  An endless variety of shapes can be obtained by shape-drawing, brake-forming and shape rolling processes.  For tube, typical uses are flexible metal hose, electrical conduit, pump liners and paper rolls. None of the price differences were important until the world market changed, as did gasoline. Look at this chart and if 85% as compared to 61% of the others of our product is made of pure copper we had to reflect this in the price. Did we shoot ourselves in the foot? No. What we did is continue to give you the very best quality regardless of price. When the world reverts to sanity we will adjust the pricing accordingly, but it was to give you the best or not produce at all. We'll let others give you second tier products unlabeled as to content differences, not us! As soon as possible we will put content labels on all of our track product, so that you can make an informed choice.  

While we do not want to denigrate our competition, we do want you informed. Excuse the hard facts we have to tell you about and then choose your product carefully.

Stainless Steel 304:The basic alloy. Type 304 (18-8) is austenitic steel, possessing a minimum of 18% chromium and 8% nickel, combined with a maximum of 0.08% carbon. It is nonmagnetic steel, which cannot be hardened by heat treatment, but instead. Must be cold worked to obtain higher tensile strengths.  The 18% minimum chromium content provides corrosion and oxidation resistance. The alloy's metallurgical characteristics are established primarily by the nickel content (8% mm.), which also extends resistance to corrosion caused by reducing chemicals. Carbon, a necessity of mixed benefit, is held at a level (0.08% max.) that is satisfactory for most service applications. The stainless alloy resists most oxidizing acids and can withstand all ordinary rusting. Stainless Steel is the very best choice for your railroad. We've never cleaned our track on our office layout after 4 years and get perfect running all the time. PLEASE ASK THE VENDOR WHAT GRADE THEY ARE USING!!!!!! It does matter!With Aristo-Craft's buy 4 get one free track sale extended through the end of this year, does it pay to buy a lesser performance?

All the best, Lewis Polk Aristo-Craft Trains.

I thought everyone should see this.

I met Mr. Polk at Ridge Road Station and was very impressed about the care he has for his products. He was introducing the new mallet (at the time) and he beemed like a proud parent. He gave me a phone number to call him direct if I had a problem or wanted to talk trains. That kind of thing stays with you. I like a person that you can talk to and honestly cares for the customer. Joe Paonessa

[Great Western]

Hi Joe,

Yes indeed I have, from this side of the pond, had quite a few coversations with Mr. Polk.  It is because he is so enthusiastic about the hobby and his trains and very approachable that I only ever buy his products.