Will brass track handle a maritime climate?

bsosborne1

bsosborne1

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United-States
I am planning a layout and I live 1500' from the Atlantic. We have a prevailing wind coming off the ocean on most days. Just about everything rusts here. You even have to use stainless steel nails on your roofing to keep your shingles from blowing off. I am curious as to how the brass will handle this. I have already determined all my trains will be battery powered. But with the track would plastic be better? I see a British company on eBay offering "High quality plastic track". Is this something I should be considering?

Thanks,
Scott
 
bsosborne1 said:
I see a British company on eBay offering "High quality plastic track". Is this something I should be considering?
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No! - That would be ECR, I assume(if it is mot the offering from ECR, then disregard this).

Not particularly UV stable, and tends to go brittle.

I believe you can get stainless steel rail profile in the US? - Though how eye-watering it will be, I don't know.
You will need a rail-bender, to work with stainless track, and I do not know of anyone doing stainless set-track, or points (turnouts).

You may be better asking this on the My Large Scale forum.

PhilP.
 
That was ECR.

I was concerned about UV stability. But there are tricks. Modern Masters Ultra Matte coating works wonders. Its very expensive but I'll be coating every building and plastic bit in my layout.

I was looking at the stainless, but its so high that it would seriously limit what I plan to do.

Brass is used on boats here, but it is high maintenance to keep it looking good.
 
bsosborne1 said:
I am curious as to how the brass will handle this
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There is good reason that many maritime fittings are made of brass, it doesn't "rust"! You will need to keep the upper rail surface clean for reliable electric running but otherwise brass rail will be fine. The LGB track base is made from a material that is essentially weather proof, so maritime climates will not present any specific problems,
 
bsosborne1 said:
I am planning a layout and I live 1500' from the Atlantic. We have a prevailing wind coming off the ocean on most days. Just about everything rusts here. You even have to use stainless steel nails on your roofing to keep your shingles from blowing off. I am curious as to how the brass will handle this. I have already determined all my trains will be battery powered. But with the track would plastic be better? I see a British company on eBay offering "High quality plastic track". Is this something I should be considering?

Thanks,
Scott
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Do not be tempted by Plastic track no matter how ‘stable’ it alleges to be. Brass LGB track has been used by many in the US over the years, in fact last time I was in LA in 2000 there were near 20 G scale train shops in the area so many must have been using LGB brass track in the sea zone. As you are dead rail cleaning should not be an issue though an occasional wipe over to get rid of any sea salt or sand may help if any gets to your area.
 
Software Tools said:
There is good reason that many maritime fittings are made of brass, it doesn't "rust"! You will need to keep the upper rail surface clean for reliable electric running but otherwise brass rail will be fine. The LGB track base is made from a material that is essentially weather proof, so maritime climates will not present any specific problems,
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It doesn't rust, correct, as rust is an iron output of corrosion, however brass will still corrode, it is called verdigris, but it is a lot slower and less damaging than rust.

bsosborne1 said:
Brass is used on boats here, but it is high maintenance to keep it looking good.
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If you are not using track power, brass could be a good alternative to plastic or SS, and I am sure it will last quite some time.
 
I missed the dead-rail reference. - So presumably track continuity will not be an issue?

So you can just get a 'Swiffer' (I believe it is called? Whizz over the track with this, and it will take enough of the 'crud' off to run on.

(One day I will find a picture of a 'Swiffer'). :D

PhilP.
 
PhilP said:
I missed the dead-rail reference. - So presumably track continuity will not be an issue?

So you can just get a 'Swiffer' (I believe it is called? Whizz over the track with this, and it will take enough of the 'crud' off to run on.

(One day I will find a picture of a 'Swiffer'). :D

PhilP.
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Here you go Phil
www.swiffer.com

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I think a scouring pad on a broom handle would do the trick
 
I live about 800 yards from Southampton Water, close enough to get salt spray on windows in winter gales (of which we get more these days). I use LGB track with Massoth clamps with a single power feed to about 150 feet of track. The brass gets a dull bloom if it hasn't been cleaned for a few weeks and if left all winter it gets decidely dull looking. It always cleans up easily with an LGB track rubber or a few passes with the track cleaning loco. Bogie locos cope electrically with the light tarnishing, but dull rail needs to be cleaned before running.

If you are not planning on track power then you won't need to clean as much, but to me shiny rails look the part regardless!

As an aside, many years ago I was on a train on the Brighton line which was the first to traverse a section with new conductor rail. Any thoughts I had as to whether rust made a difference to current collection were confirmed as the 12 car train arced its way along in spectacular fashion. Enquiring after the maintenance engineer as to whether this was normal he told me that after a couple more trains had been across it the conductor rail would be polished smooth enough to eliminate the arcing! Not sure today's trains with their electronic wizardry would take kindly to intermittent 800 volt power!
 
Here you go - Sunset Valley Railroad. Track and Rail Archives Good source of stainless steel,aluminium and brass rail in correct profiles and everything else to go with it. I use their pneumatic system (Clippard based) for my switches and signals. The guy who runs it is/was a British ex'pat. Max

Edit - did a Google search - using aluminium in salt atmosphere

Google Search

And another one - using brass in a salt atmosphere. OK, it's AI appraisal but real person content follows it.


You could use aluminium rail if correct grade/alloy. Brass likewise needs to be the correct alloy zinc/copper. I run battery/RC (and live steam), mostly 15 mm scale US narrow gauge stock on 45 mm gauge code 332 brass rail. Mostly LGB, some with wood sleepers. Most has been down 15-20, clampe (mix direct to rail and over stock brass rail joiner) 50% laid in full sun. There have been no issues with rail/sleeper degredation in that time. However, I live about 120 miles from the sea, so cann̈ot advise on durability in that environment. Hope this is of assistance.
 
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I used to live about half a mile from The Gulf of Mexico. Was very used to ‘normal’ maritime weather but also tropical storms and hurricanes. I used brass track which handled everything perfectly. Plastic sleepers (ties) of LGB track held up well to Florida sun, and is still going fine up here in Georgia.
When track powered, cleaning was essential and I had an LGB track cleaner loco. After I went battery power the track cleaner was sold. To be frank, after going battery I didn’t clean the track at all. Just a quick blast round with a low power leaf blower (to get rid of sand, leaves and general grot) and everything was fine.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I just want to make sure things will hold up before investing the money into brass track. Sounds like with regular cleaning I should be fine.

I don't want to attempt Aluminum. I am currently in the process of replacing all the aluminum trim on my house with PVC. The aluminum corrodes from inside the plastic coating. I know that's not the best grade of aluminum, but still its not worth the hassle.
 
bsosborne1 said:
Thanks for all the replies. I just want to make sure things will hold up before investing the money into brass track. Sounds like with regular cleaning I should be fine.

I don't want to attempt Aluminum. I am currently in the process of replacing all the aluminum trim on my house with PVC. The aluminum corrodes from inside the plastic coating. I know that's not the best grade of aluminum, but still its not worth the hassle.
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Ally could work but it is a real pain to colour it like the real thing as paint tends not to be too permanent in ally. Whereas brass rail tarnishes nicely to a good realistic (to me) rail colour that contrary to popular belief is not necessarily a full rust colour but a mixture of rust, brake dust and other detritus.
 
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