RAILS: TO GLEAM, OR NOT TO GLEAM?

[Anonymous]

I'm talking GLEAM!: ULTRA_SHINY and Smooth rails can now be had with my 'WHAT box?" approach to this conductivity problem. An HO modeller since 1970, I know the problem WELL!
THIS IS A ONE-TIME PROCESS. DO ALL TRACK!!
1] On an appropiate-sized block, use 400 wet/dry paper to remove the extrusion milling left on the railheads. The block must span both rails.
2] Now use 600 or finer, repeat process.
3] Using an appropiate-sized STAINLESS-STEEL piece, apply moderate pressure and BURNI***he rails! The more you slide back and forth, the smoother and shinier the rails become! [ the GLEAM part ]. This is because you have removed the ridges, bumps, and pits. Burnishing helps seal pores with metal, eliminating traps for dirt and tarnish; almost like a MIRROR!
4] [For Bob H.] Use BLUE MAGIC or equivalent metal poli***o deep-clean the remaining contaminates.
5] Last, buff the rails to your eye's content!
The shine is 5x more lusterous than just polish alone. The wax left behind is minimal, is not insulating, and virtually eliminates rail cleaning.
This is a process HOT OFF THE PRESSES! [Of my brain] I've only been at it 6 weeks with amazing results! {I just added the wax step today.} prior to that, though, the NS HO rails I'm guinea-pigging (300') sans wax STILL gleams today, with slight tarnishing, so I'm gonna wax 'em next!
I will also try some classic brass rail to see how that stands up.

AND REMEMBER; NO MORE ABRASIVES...EVER!!!!!!
Or you'll just ruin your mirror finish, and will have to gleam and wax AGAIN!
Dry-wipe with paper towel or cotton. You can always polish anytime; wipe away excess.

I've had DCC and DC locos/lash-ups creep at a scale 3-5MPH around the staging level loop 100' with NO STALL or FAULTER. gotta love it[:D]

[trainboyH16-44]

Hmm, I'm not too sure about waxing, might get some bad traction..but this sounds like a pretty good process so far! Even though i have heard not to use sandpaper to clean track, it sounds fine in this case!

[claycts]

My $.02 is that Friction is where we get traction from. A flawless piece of metal that is slick can cause the loss of friction. The theroy is sound about the rails not taking dirt but if you make it to perfect you may lose the friction required for traction.
Where did you get the Stainless? 304L SS (low carbon content) and 316L (purer with a low carbon content ) would be the source of choice.
YOu could get the same results using a quarter since the nickel silver content will also work.
There is a finner grade on sandpaper 2000 grit that will do all of the above as far as the polish. Wax of choice IMHO would be Flitz.
Thank you for the brain teaser that is what makes this forum fun.
Take Care
George P.

[cmrproducts]

I have 4% grades on my layout (25 x 75 ft room – 2700 ft of track). The layout is designed as a coal hauler and is a prototypical representation of the Conrail Lowgrade from Dubois to East Brady, PA. There are 6 independent railroads feeding the Lowgrade line.

I began building the layout in 2000 and was doing OPs as soon as I had some track down.

So I know what the pulling ability of the engines was from the beginning. I metal polished all of the track back in July of 2003. I did not see any reduction of pulling ability but if there was any I never noticed it as I use helpers on my 4% grades.

The reason for the 4% grades was to actually need them not just for looks as so many other layouts do!

BOB H – Clarion, PA

[cmrproducts]

Well, last week (Dec 30) I had a modeler and his nephew stop by as he wanted to see DCC Digitrax in action, as he is planning on converting soon.

Now I have not run the layout since Thanksgiving as I have been busy adding scenery and rebuilding several sidings on the layout. The layout was a mess and I had to move stuff off the layout just to run some trains!

When he arrived I just went down and turned on the layout. I have 3 blocks on the layout and one of them I had a short on so I just shut it off. (I know that there must have been a tool laying on the tracks somewhere) any way I got out a UT4R keypad and let nephew (6 years old) acquire the first unit (a sound engine) The nephew took off with the engine and a train . Now remember this layout had not been run for over a month and construction taking place but the sound engine ran perfect.

Says a little about metal polished track doesn’t it!

We also fired up 2 other Atlas engines as Frank wanted to try his hand at operating a helper and the train using the DT400 R keypad.

Now I was a little apprehensive about this as the pusher engine was coupled directly to the train (which was a really short one – 6 cars) so string lining was a possibility with such a short train (had a bunch of Walthers tankcars in it). Needless to say if the track had caused either one of the engines to stall even for a moment the train would have hit the floor. Frank (also being totally new to the Digitrax system and then trying to run 2 engines independently – not MUed) ran the train out of Phillipston yard up the hill to Lawsonham and over to St Charles – for a total of 100 feet. Then to top it all off he decided to back the train back down to the yard while it was still coupled together. Now I was really getting nervous but knowing that the engines would not miss a beat let him do it.

Would YOU let a complete novice do that with your equipment after having let the layout sit for over a month and the dust from construction?

And remember now that the track has not been cleaned since I used the metal polish back in July of 2003. Now tell me about how your track cleaners will do THAT!

BOB H – Clarion, PA

[claycts]

BOB H. Which Polish did you use? I am POLISH so I need to know what POLI***oo buy?

[cmrproducts]

claycts

I first used Blue Magic (liquid)(Wal-Mart) and others at the Club tried Mothers Mag Wheel Polish (paste)(Wal-Mart - Auto Parts stores). It really does not matter what brand just as long as it is a metal polish.

I would NOT recommend Brasso as it seems to leave an oily finish and this is what we do NOT want. The rails are to be dry. Also some of the Chrome cleaners seem to leave an oil fini***oo.

BOB H - Clarion, PA

[1shado1]

Glean???

Jeff

[cmrproducts]

Burnishing the rails with the Stainless-Steel washer

BOB H - Clarion, PA

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1shado1

Glean???

Jeff

GLEAN = THE AMAZIN' SHINE WHEN YOU'RE DONE !![:D][:D][8D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by claycts

My $.02 is that Friction is where we get traction from. A flawless piece of metal that is slick can cause the loss of friction. The theroy is sound about the rails not taking dirt but if you make it to perfect you may lose the friction required for traction.
Where did you get the Stainless? 304L SS (low carbon content) and 316L (purer with a low carbon content ) would be the source of choice.
YOu could get the same results using a quarter since the nickel silver content will also work.
There is a finner grade on sandpaper 2000 grit that will do all of the above as far as the polish. Wax of choice IMHO would be Flitz.
Thank you for the brain teaser that is what makes this forum fun.
Take Care
George P.

I tried the guarter-seems to do as you theorize!
Then I used the SS washer to PRESS IN the NS left by the quarter.
I did some classic brass HO rail ---- [wow][wow]
The finish was SILVERY! [:0]

[tommann]

Hi;

Has anyone tried this with N Scale Atlas code 55?

Thanks,
Tom

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tommann

Hi;

Has anyone tried this with N Scale Atlas code 55?

Thanks,
Tom

not yet, i'd like to soon

[Anonymous]

my first post.
A while back I read postings suggesting the use of Mothers Mag Polish (available at auto parts stores). Applied the stuff to my N scale track and have been running clean for a month now. Before doing this I had to clean my track constantly. Anything that causes abrasion seems to be a bad idea (sorry briteboy) and cleaning solutions (I was using alchohol) results in tarnished rails that only have to be cleaned again. With the poli***reatment done I just give the rails a light wipe every so often to keep dust off, everything is running quite smooth. I have to admit though, as my tiny pike is a section of C&NW's Alco line through South Dakota waxy grades are not much of an issue.

Clean loco wheels are manditory and this system seems to help with that as well.

[1shado1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by semafore

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1shado1

Glean???

Jeff

GLEAN = THE AMAZIN' SHINE WHEN YOU'RE DONE !![:D][:D][8D]

GleaM, maybe. But gleaN? Ok, make stuff up if you like...[:D]

[mecovey]

I'm confused...I've always thought of the word glean to mean harvest or gathering grain. Websters defines it as:
VERB:
gleaned , glean·ing , gleans
intr. To gather grain left behind by reapers.

VERB:
tr. To gather (grain) left behind by reapers.
To collect bit by bit: "records from which historians glean their knowledge" (Kemp Malone).
Wouldn't gleam more appropriately describe the condition you achieve?

[Anonymous]

Gleam it is, as an amateur proof-reader and pedant. But then I don't have a problem with "coined" words either, they have a place. I do, however, suffer from dirty track, and I find Goo-Gone leaves a slippery residue up 2.5% grades, until it dries on track and wheels, creating the dreaded insulating black grunge (I don't run often, construction). Maybe I use too much. 1200 grit does give a nice shine, I think I might pursue this avenue a little further, I've always been concerned about the visible scratches in my NS C70 from a Bright-boy.

[Anonymous]

What do you use to apply the metal poli***o just the rails? Everything I have tried so far gets the polish on the track ties and ballast. Do you have to rub and buff this metal polish once its applied to the rails, or do you just wipe on and wipe off? The cloth I am using starts turning black almost immediately from the rails. Is this suppose to happen? Any suggestions please? Thanks, Jeff

[claycts]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cmrproducts

claycts

I first used Blue Magic (liquid)(Wal-Mart) and others at the Club tried Mothers Mag Wheel Polish (paste)(Wal-Mart - Auto Parts stores). It really does not matter what brand just as long as it is a metal polish.

I would NOT recommend Brasso as it seems to leave an oily finish and this is what we do NOT want. The rails are to be dry. Also some of the Chrome cleaners seem to leave an oil fini***oo.

BOB H - Clarion, PA

Thanks Bob, I have some NEVER DULL and FLITZ that I am going to play with. The NEVER DULL may be an OILER but the FLITZ should be fine, I HOPE

[Anonymous]

MORE RESULTS; CLASSIS BRASS GLEAM = [8D][:D]!!

[cmrproducts]

Jeff

I use an old piece of HO cork roadbed material (Midwest brand) and put a little of the polish on the cork. I then rub the rails and usually do about 8 to 10 feet at a time. I then use a clean piece of cork to buff the rails to remove the haze that forms after the polish dries. And that is it! I just continue doing sections and buffing the rails.

I get very little if any polish on the sides of the rails unless I put too much on the cork.

I have also tried using a small piece of Homasote. It works but if you have any sharp edges at any rail joint, it will find them and begin tearing the Homasote. This will cause small bits of the Homasote cardboard to fall off and usually get stuck in the turnouts, not a good thing! This is why I went with the cork.

This also applies to the cotton cloth. It will leave little pieces of lint at any sharp edge (again removing the sharp edges is recommended).

I have tried a lot of different things to put the metal polish on the rail heads and I still keep coming back to a piece of cork!

As a side benefit, when finding the sharp edges at rail joints it would be wise to use a fine file to remove these edges. This eliminates any chance for the engine and car wheels of catching them and derailing!

Yes it takes a little time but once you get into the swing of it, it will go real fast.

But remember that the main benefit is not having to clean the rails again for years at a time!

Bob H – Clarion, PA

[Anonymous]

Thanks Bob, the cork road bed works great! Really does the trick. Now if I can find something made of stainless steel to burni***he rails. Anyone have a good suggestion? Is this something I could get at Menards or Home Depot?

[Anonymous]

Has anyone thought about a piece of good quality stainless steel flatware that we eat with as a burnisher. Just be sure not to "steel" the wifes as surly she will miss that one piece... B.

[waltersrails]

sounds good enough for me.

[Bill H.]

The absolute BEST!



Simichrome is a soft, paste polish for copper, chrome, silver, aluminum, brass... virtually any metal. For years, racers have used Simichrome to polish up their H.O. commutators, especially in classes where you're not allowed to have a trued armature. Just apply a small amount of Simichrome and polish with a clean cloth. Wipe off excess polish and buff the surface to a brilliant luster with a clean, soft cloth.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by claycts

My $.02 is that Friction is where we get traction from. A flawless piece of metal that is slick can cause the loss of friction. The theroy is sound about the rails not taking dirt but if you make it to perfect you may lose the friction required for traction.
Where did you get the Stainless? 304L SS (low carbon content) and 316L (purer with a low carbon content ) would be the source of choice.
YOu could get the same results using a quarter since the nickel silver content will also work.
There is a finner grade on sandpaper 2000 grit that will do all of the above as far as the polish. Wax of choice IMHO would be Flitz.
Thank you for the brain teaser that is what makes this forum fun.
Take Care
George P.

George,
\I wasn't concerned about the carbon content, because I didn't even Consider that!.....
I just reasoned that it was a much harder material than the rail stock.
In fact, if you just let a SS washer slide lightly on the rails, you can HEAR the difference between Burnished and Non-Burnished surfaces. I figured the wheel's contact area on the railhead is 1/87 of a full-scale's 'dime-sized' contact. If there are imperfections, than the contact area is evenFurther reduced, forcing the electric current to ARC to the wheels and back, thus creating the 'black stuff' by way of the arcing's carbonized flux residue! Turn " nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn "to "_______________________________"
by sanding therails with 400 wet/dry, then 600 w/d, then BURNISH with WAsher, then Blue Magic the rails to remove all contaminates.[8D][8D][8D][8D][8D]
It won't give a TRUE mirror finish; there is a litte roughness. But the GAP between rail maintenance w i l l S t r e t c h . . . . .to MONTHS!Trains can CREEP , DC OR DCC!!!
Gotta go do another waybill.................

[howmus]

semafore, I posted this as a new thread earlier and it has already disapeared to page? with no replies. Is the paste Blue Magic usable for this technique or does it have to be the liquid? Since I already bought the paste stuff, I would like to know before I use it.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tommann

Hi;

Has anyone tried this with N Scale Atlas code 55?

Thanks,
Tom

Hi, Tom..

I did this on the ENTIRE 4' x 20' N-scale layout in our museum [sfrm.org]. Since january 10, the rails have never been B-BOYed again! In fact, the two 'looper' trains that run at a scale speed of, oh, 20-25 mph ALL NIGHT during public-viewing evening while sporting a wireless camera NEVER STOP!!
They truly just keep going and going.......
I'm not sure what code the rail is, but since this is done only ONCE, no code is in danger of being 'sanded to nothin'!'. Also doing our HOn3 endowment, and the code 100[hidden] and 83 [exposed] levels and helix on the mega-HO project. Remember, the electric arc carbon flux residue that is created from the current sparking it's path between factory-finished rail stock is the 'black gunk' that accumilates with each pass of the train, not the plastic wheels.

[BigRusty]

When I bought my first bundle of Nickle Silver rail about thirty years ago I wanted to make sure that all oxides and lubricants could be removed from the railhead, the problem I had with brass rail. Polishing each rail one at a time was out of the question, as was polishing after the rail was weathered or after the tracks was handlaid.

I took a piece of scrap 1 x 4 about 38 inches long and using the dado head on my table saw, I dadoed rows of grooves just the width of the rail base and just deep enough that the rail heads were exposed above the plank.

I then filled the grooves with rail and used a metal poli***o brighten the rail heads. I then washed the polish residue of and let them dry after which they were painted and weathered. Never had any stalling problems after that.

In my planned new layout I will add the burnishing which I never thought of at the time. I think we are well on the way to the elimination of track cleaning problems with this new technique. You guys are SO SMART.

[Anonymous]

Actually, I happened on this techique while reconditioning my 12-string guitar!
After filing across the frets to even them out, I sanded them smoother to regain some luster. But the smoother they are, the easier it is to bend strings for certain notes.
I glanced at a pair of small chrome-plated rounded-steel scissors; It struck me then and there to try burnishing the frets with this harder material;[:O] Again I was struck -- try the RAILS!!
Well, the rest is in the other posts. SOME OBSERVATIONS I HAVE SO FAR::
*It will NOT eliminate cleaning; it WILL eliminate ABRASIVE cleaning ONLY!
*I don't think there is an advantage to the polish on the NS rails; I don't use it on any of the museum layouts anymore; just an occasional wiping with a cotton rag.......that's all!
* The slower the trains run, the slower the build-up of arc-flux residue. { Smaller arcing}
* Classic brass rails---- slower oxidation, but inevitable; the shine does last for a while, though
* The more pick-up wheels per loco/lighted car, the less arc-flux build-up