I have sections of track from the original IHC set I started with. Have not used it, using instead nickel silver Bachmann EZ Track and Atlas Snap Track. I am not sure of the material the rails are made of on the cheap track sections. I also don't know what I should do with it. Could I potentially use it? What are its disadvantages over the nickel silver track?
Since you seem to indicate that your original layout is "older", it could be either brass or steel track. Brass can be cleaned up and used, though you will find many people here that don't like it. It seems to need a little more care and cleaning.
What I am doing with some old steel track that came in a box of stuff, is to clean it up, paint it, then use it for rail loads in a gondola. I will use some of it stacked in a maintenance yard as replacement rails. Since rails were 39' long to fit in 40' gondolas, cut your pieces to a scale 39', use the short peices as short peices of rail or twist them up a little and use them in a scrap load.
Good luck,
Richard
If the rail is silver in color it's probably steel or zinc plated steel. The slightly better track was zinc plated so it wouldn't rust at the drop of a hat. Try the magnet test on it. Even a fridge magnet will do. If the hagnet sticks it's steel rail. If the rail is a yellowish color it's brass.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Use it to place an old steam engine on it as a park display. Or a dummy / fake rail crossing. Cut the ties off and place a few next to your track either in a stack of new ones or scattered replaced old ones.
Jim
I just set up a loop of steel track around the Christmas tree.
LION has a lot of steel track, most of it is no longer in service, but being cheap, if I have it and need it on the railroad, then on the railroad it goes. I have some steel and even brass track (I tried using the brass track --it was new-- on the layout, but had to pull it up, It simply does not work so well, especailly since I used it in the back, in a yard where it was not cleaned regularly.
These odd lengths of track will be used when I get around to modeling Penn Station as this will be a static display.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS