Large Scale Central

Aluminum track questions

Track and Trestles
#21

My concern is why waste the time, energy, and money to lay brass or any other substitute, and then change to aluminum later? Since you think your going to go battery already, why not lay aluminum down the first time, deal with the limitations it has as a track power while you are converting your fleet? Or do as many others have, set up a trail car system so that you can run multiple locomotives and only have to convert 1 to battery at the start?

As for track I’d go with code 215 aluminum, and handlay. :slight_smile: But that’s my choice.

Craig

#22

Gerry, Randy has a pretty good idea there but my reasoning may be different than his. I would invest in the least expensive code 250 you can find in brass. You do not limit any future options, DC, DCC, battery and steam are all possible now and in the future.

One other thought, and I swear I am alone in this…Looks. I have seen operators admonish someone for using code 332 and yet they run stainless 250. There you have a vintage diesel or steamer running through a rustic setting on gleaming rails. My opinion but I find the color of aluminum or steel rails a bit off-putting.

I like how brass (LGB especially) wears to a beautiful dull brown. A quick wipe with a Scotchbrite pad and the rail surface shines in the sun like the real thing. Battery or not, I love the look. (for the record, I run both).

Also if you want visitors to come and run on your layout, you limit those who can do so by the power you choose.

So I am not attacked for not answering your question, let me be clear…I humbly suggest you consider brass for the reasons above.

#23

Gerry,

Must have missed something. Why are you concerned about buying curved track when it is a simple matter to bend your own custom or standard curves from straight track?

#24

Steve Featherkile said:

One nice thing about the oxidation of aluminum track is that it provides “tooth” for the locomotive’s drive wheels to “bite” into, increasing pulling power and reducing slip.

I had a hill on my RR that I frequently had to double because of wheel slip, but once I replaced the Stainless track with aluminum, the trains no longer had that problem.

Thanks Steve. That’s something I need to consider for my 4% curving grade now that I’m pretty much 100% committed to battery or live steam.

#25

Mark V said:

One other thought, and I swear I am alone in this…Looks. I have seen operators admonish someone for using code 332 and yet they run stainless 250. There you have a vintage diesel or steamer running through a rustic setting on gleaming rails. My opinion but I find the color of aluminum or steel rails a bit off-putting.

The color issue is easily fixed and the result, in my opinion, looks better than even old LGB brass.

(http://photo.cvsry.com/wtrack-21s.jpg)

(http://photo.cvsry.com/wtrack-10s.jpg)

(http://photo.cvsry.com/wtrack-12s.jpg)

#26

Jon. how did you clean the top of the rails? Did you do it while wet or with something a little more abrasive after it drys?

#27

As Rick says, buy all straight track and bend it the way you want. Either by hand or with a railbender. I prefer a bender but lots of guys use the ‘belly bend’. But that way you’re not limited to a 10’ curve in your design.

Terry

#28

Jon Radder said:

Mark V said:

One other thought, and I swear I am alone in this…Looks. I have seen operators admonish someone for using code 332 and yet they run stainless 250. There you have a vintage diesel or steamer running through a rustic setting on gleaming rails. My opinion but I find the color of aluminum or steel rails a bit off-putting.

The color issue is easily fixed and the result, in my opinion, looks better than even old LGB brass.

(http://photo.cvsry.com/wtrack-21s.jpg)

(http://photo.cvsry.com/wtrack-10s.jpg)

(http://photo.cvsry.com/wtrack-12s.jpg)

Nice, I have seen them painted before but I do prefer the aged brass…I have even accelerated the effect with a quick acid dip. A variety of methods to be sure!

#29

I run a combination of brass and aluminum rail. Most of it is all Aristo Craft track because I use to be a dealer. I also paint my rail and then just lightly sand the top of the rail to remove the paint with sandpaper and a block of wood.

I have several aluminum switches made by Switch Crafters that have been outdoors for several years with little to no problems. The best part is Switch Crafters makes all different sizes of switches along with curved switches and they’re cheaper then the manufactured ones.

All future expansions will be with aluminum track because of the cost and the fact that I’m totally battery power now. Going battery may be expensive in the begining but well worth the conversion because I dont need to worry about cleaning track when I want to run my trains. Plus we can have multiple trains running on the same loop without power issues.

I would agree with Rick & Terry, invest in a duel track rail bender and only buy straight track. You’ll be much happier then being limited to pre-definded curves.

Good luck Gerry with what ever direction you chose to go, just get a loop down and start having fun.

Chuck

#30

Mark V said:

I swear I am alone in this…Looks. I have seen operators admonish someone for using code 332 and yet they run stainless 250. There you have a vintage diesel or steamer running through a rustic setting on gleaming rails. My opinion but I find the color of aluminum or steel rails a bit off-putting.

I like how brass (LGB especially) wears to a beautiful dull brown. A quick wipe with a Scotchbrite pad and the rail surface shines in the sun like the real thing. Battery or not, I love the look. (for the record, I run both).

Also if you want visitors to come and run on your layout, you limit those who can do so by the power you choose.

You’re not alone on any of this, Mark. I dumped all my stainless rail; When I started in LS outdoor Railroading I had thought .330 stainless would be the ultimate, so that’s what I got, but it was far too modern day highline clean and slick looking for my taste! And slippery. and I’m way too lazy to paint track. VBG. Stainless sure has big advantages when it comes to strength, though. I have to give it that!

#31

Figuring on aluminum myself, supposing I ever have a garden again.

A guy was worried about his track wearing out, and he wears out lots of track. I said, “well, stainless is mighty hard stuff.”

“Oh no,” a know-it-all who isn’t Greg chimed in, “that’s the worst possible stuff you could get. Everybody knows that.” And several asserted that it was so. He decided on NS instead.

Since you’re figuring on batteries eventually, I’d say just jump in and go with batteries right off the start.

Didn’t I see someone was selling aluminum track made of 6061-T6? That’s pretty hard stuff. Corrosion resistant. They use it to make airplanes and apollo rockets.

#32

When I was running track power with Aluminum, the oxidation wasn’t a problem.

I could run my smaller loop after sitting dormant for a month or two without cleaning the track.

It was visably oxidized, but didn’t cause any problems.

My power problems were in the joints. As I have 1 foot sectional, I have mucho joints.

On my large loop this caused problems because the aluminum would expand and contract a lot with changes in the temperature. I didn’t have any jumpers between sections, as I would have had to make a few hundred jumpers :wink:

In the heat of the day, things would run fine. Then, as the temperatures would drop, I’d start having issues and have to fiddle with the track joints.

If I had 5-6ft. sections I’d of had a lot less problems :slight_smile:

Ralph

#33

Welcome Gerry

…(http://www.freethoughtnation.com/components/com_comment/joscomment/emoticons/funny/images/smile.png)…

#34

Thanks Dav…er a …Rooster

I seem to have a nack for the hornet’s nest thing

#35

Jeff Walls said:

Jon. how did you clean the top of the rails? Did you do it while wet or with something a little more abrasive after it drys?

I use lacquer thinner. Full step-by-step article here: My Website Mods page

#36

I have been playing around with wood ties with spikes that don’t pull out, and painted aluminum rail. I took this picture on my living room floor. It is not the clearest, I’m still trying figure out this camera but you can see the color of the rail.

I hope the picture posts ok.

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/gears80/ce41a1be-62e1-4e64-bb0f-c59469afc80b.jpg)

#37

Doesn’t your wife get upset with you spiking yor track through the carpet in the living room? I don’t think I could get away with that.

#38

What feature do the spikes have so that they do not pull out?

steel to rust? clinched on the underside?

Greg

#39

Ha. That’s funny. What do think she did when I nailed them to the kitchen counter?

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/gears80/164386e9-4509-4f30-9c35-f0a583f57d56.jpg)

Seriously, there isn’t any spikes sticking out the bottom. They are SS spikes similar to a staple shoved through the bottom. I am hoping for maintenance free wood tie track. Well for at lease 10 or more years.

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/gears80/d49eca72-f1f7-4782-929a-1e24ad2b821b.jpg)

#40

Terry came up with an easy way to not only paint the rail, but not get paint on the ballast below between the ties:

(http://www.elmassian.com/images/stories/track/misc/photobucket-14168-1336412614270.jpg)

See my site for more pictures and detail (bottom of the page)

http://www.elmassian.com/trains/track-aamp-switches/trackwork-tips

Regards, Greg