Stainless steel or standard track? Will be using GarGraves O-Gage three rail track and Ross switches all trains will be new. Thank you,Charles
Standard should work fine. Unless you have a high humidity or outdoor area, then I would recommend stainless. Also, Lionel magna-traction will work better with standard track.
Kurt
Stainless is very hard to solder, and doesn’t work well with magnetraction.
Don’t use it unless you have a very good reason to.
I bought some used gargraves at a train show, Mixed in the box was about 50 pieces of plated and about 8 pieces of SS. It looked like the track sat a bit, over 10 years. When I checked it all out, the SS did not conduct electricity, where the plated did. It seemed the SS oxidize (which it should not do) maybe a lack of chromium plating when it was made, where as the plated was fine. I cleaned it up and now its on the layout…
I like the Atlas track the best, however gargraves wood ties with painted rail looks very good and the price difference is huge. Ross switches are very good, however gargraves can be bought for a small fraction of the price, add the jumper wires and you have a very good switch for 10 bucks…
I’d go with the standard … it’s not hard at all to clean up anyway and even stainless gets oxidation also . you’ll never solder stainless … take it from an old welder … can’t be done . [sigh]
From my days as an Die Maker apprentice. The book - Metallurgy Second Edition, B. J. Moniz. When 12% Chromium is added to iron or steel they become stainless. Chromium has a form of corrosion resistance known as passivity and is the key ingredient in the development of a passive surface film. A passive surface film is the outer surface layer of a metal that has superior corrosion resistance. The passive surface film primarily contains chromium and oxygen, is tenacious, and forms instantaneously on the surface. What does this mean? It corrodes so fast it creates its own protective layer ( corrosion also known as rust ) from further corrosion. Lack of oxygen and or moisture will cause it to corrode. Contact with a Ferrous metal will cause it to corrode(rust) . ( Dont believe me put a metal nut in a stainless sink and you will cause the sink corrode (rust). This can be cleaned up with some Scotch Brite. Your track sat long enough for it’s passivity to create a thick enough layer (of rust ,oxidation ) that it had trouble conducting electricity. When you cleaned it you removed the corrosion down to raw stainless steel. Then because of the chromium in the stainless it instantly formed a passive surface film. Now thin enough to conduct electricity.
Thank you, Everyone! VERY VERY helpful, this is a great site! Charles
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