painting tracks

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I see people painting the tracks. Do they paint all of the rails? If so, what and how do you remove paint for electrical contact?

thanks

2

I know some people might tell you to leave a bead of oil on the railhead before you spray-paint or airbrush your track so you can clean it easier, but to me that sounds like trouble. Oil on the rail must be removed completely before trains will get electrical contact and traction. All I do is airbrush the track and then come back and clean the railhead with a Bright Boy track cleaning block before the paint dries completely. Oh, and do use a little tape to mask the points on your turnouts so that you’ll have electric contact there too. Good luck!

3

thanks for the response, So all I need to clean the paint off is the top of the rails, correct?

4

Right. Just the tops. AND… the points of the switch, where the closure rails touch the stock rails. In other words, you can’t have paint where the rails that move touch the ones that don’t, because that’s another electrical contact spot. Good luck!

5

To rust the rails, I use Hull red. I is not as harsh as rust.

Sue