Model Train Journal

After a few years of kicking this can around. I jumped in. Pull up the gargraves and i'm going 2 rail. Here is the first attempt to weather some track

Congratulations. One immediate thought: unless you are going battery power, you might not want to paint the top of the rails.

Wait wait wait --- Let's assume that Robert has run model trains before (a safe assumption given that he is "pulling up the Gargraves") and that he is smart enough -- from experience alone if not from a fundamental understanding of how electric model trains actually work -- to know that he will have to come back and clean off the top of the rail. If we make this assumption, then we can skip the obvious joke (tough around here I know) and focus on the before and after of that track. Before: Yeech; After: Wow!

Yes, congratulations on the jump from 3 to 2. But also: nice job -- most of us are too lazy to bother with anything but flex track as it is from the box, and here we have a 2-rail newbie showing us how good flex track can look if you care and are willing to do something about it.

But the painted rail does raise an interesting question: what is the best way to clean that top rail without risk to damaging the finish elsewhere?

Jim

What Micromark calls a bright bar, #80437, works well.

It's a 240 grit abrasive impregnated rubber block about the size of a bar of soap, sort of an oversized version of the old Bright-Boy that the HO people use.

Another good alternative (known by those of us who use such things outside our O Scale pursuits) is a small sanding block from the auto-body finishing world.

I know shine up the rails. Black spray paint dries quicker then i thought. Must be why Henry Ford used it. After spraying 2 pieces i tried to roll a lint roller over it. Thinking that wet paint would just effortlessly jump to the sticky roller. This first try was more about colors.

Well robert. from another Robert, it is encouraging to see a 3railer defect and join the world of 2 rail realism. You will enjoy the challenge hopefully. Good luck.

Bob

R.K. Maroon wrote:Wait wait wait --- Let's assume that Robert has run model trains before (a safe assumption given that he is "pulling up the Gargraves") and that he is smart enough -- from experience alone if not from a fundamental understanding of how electric model trains actually work -- to know that he will have to come back and clean off the top of the rail. If we make this assumption, then we can skip the obvious joke (tough around here I know) and focus on the before and after of that track. Before: Yeech; After: Wow! Jim

No joke or wiseacre comment intended. What I assumed was, that in his excitement/enthusiasm over going 2 rail, Robert might have overlooked the idea that it might be easier (and a h*ll of a lot less messy) just masking off the top of the rails. The brite bar/abrasives will take the paint off for sure, but it will also make a bit of mess.

By what I gather from reading his posts, I suspect Robert has forgotten more about basic electricity than I ever knew.

Rich

PS: I'd vote for the lighter of the two.

E7 wrote:
The brite bar/abrasives will take the paint off for sure, but it will also make a bit of mess.

Rich

Really? Not my experience if I'm honest, and a helluva lot less fiddly than masking the railhead.

i'm going 2 rail.

Come on in, the water's fine......

sarge wrote:

E7 wrote:
The brite bar/abrasives will take the paint off for sure, but it will also make a bit of mess.

Rich

Really? Not my experience if I'm honest, and a helluva lot less fiddly than masking the railhead.

A bit of folded up paper towel with lacquer thinner is even more fun.........

Your avatar de jour, is that a bit of Fry and QI I spy?

I am with Martin. I am too lazy to mask anything, including steam driver treads. A Q-Tip with lacquer thinner or acetone does the job right now. It would probably work equally well on track.

Rich

PS: I'd vote for the lighter of the two.

Gee, I think I'd vote darker for the mainline and lighter for the branches; the lighter just looks more "delicate", I my view...

Mark in Oregon

sarge wrote:Your avatar de jour, is that a bit of Fry and QI I spy?

Of course.

All 3 photos are from the same piece of track. Each photo showing the latest step of weathering. Photo 3 has some black chalk powder brushed onto the ties. Photo 2 is pre black chalk. I'm not sure what will happen to the black chalk after ballast and a water/glue soaking.
When i did weathering on some gargraves track i used a chemical patina agent from Triple S Chemicals. It turned the tin rails nice and black. One problem with this patina is it etches your track. Gives a nice tooth for chalks to hold onto. Some claim this tooth makes flex track hard to flex. Another problem is you need heat for it to turn your rails black. Wood rails can take the heat used. Plastic rails will melt. Some of the ties melted on pre formed curves. Also the stuff stinks like rotten cabbage and battery acid.
What about using chicken grit for ballast? When i tried this question on the NK form it got heated and deleted. Maybe if Tractor supply was a sponsor they would allow someone to mention chicken grit.

Nice job on the track and welcome to 2R - I made the move from 3R earlier this year and have not regretted it one bit.

BTW, can you share your technique with us? The rail color is very close to what I want to achieve, but am not quite there yet.

My approach for cleaning top of rail is to prep with machine oil - place a drop on my finger and run it along the flat rail head. Once airbrushing is complete, come back with a rag and wipe it right off.

Thanks...gregg