I had to chuckle when a comment was made on the “Buying Track” thread on brass track still being a good alternative to nickel track. Then the inevitable anti-brass comments started. This argument has played out at least a couple of times since I started on this forum a year or so ago.
It is like the what is best? Ford or Chevy? You will never convince me that nickel is better and I will never convince you that brass is fine to use. So, those new folks trying to make the decision can either look up the old threads on “brass track” or we can relist all the pros and cons of each type.
Well…yes it would be like that if say 99.9% of people bought Fords and 1/10th of 1% drove Chevys, and every car magazine and TV show pointed out that Chevys were known to have serious faults that made them difficult to keep running properly.
If you are a die-hard brass user, happy with it, and ecstatic that the hobby assigns little value to it. Why on earth would you want to ruin this perception so that the used market for this track goes through the roof?
And you ignore the imports being better than both.
But hey I thought this was a model trains forum - why are we talking about cars and trucks?[#offtopic]
Most of us use what we’re comfortable with. We don’t change until it’s not available or something is demonstrated to be better - at least for us.
In the case of brass, nickel silver and steel all 3 can work, but availability of brass and steel is way down with a few exceptions (mostly large scale and 3 rail O gauge). So for practical purposes the market place has largely settled on nickel silver.
If you want the best track, perform the following test:
1- Obtain a 3 foot section of each type.
2- Clean both with the same bright-boy cleaning block.
3- Run the same loco back and forth on each three times.
4- Store both in the same place in the same orientation with the rails up for six months.
5- After that time, perform step number 3 and then decide which track is best.
No cheating. No track dusting or cleaning with ANYTHING. Just hook up the power and run the loco. You should clean the loco wheels before you start, and between each track test.
I can see people rationalizing not replacing brass track that was already installed or because they got it cheap.
I can’t see where there’s an argument that brass track is better at conductivity, is easier to maintain, or looks as realistic as N-S. Brass corrodes so that it doesn’t conduct electricity as well, while N-S’s corrosion is limited and conductive. Brass isn’t available in code 83 or 70, which many modellers prefer for a more realistic profile.
Now if you’re just arguing about your right to use brass, go for it. But as others have noted, the market has spoken. Brass is cheap, because most consumers realize N-S’s superior performance is worth the extra cost. The brass track market is flooded with used track, which does make it a good value, until you factor in the elbow grease required to maintain it.
Me, I just prefer to spend my time building models, rather than cleaning track or putting up with the irritations of brass.
I don’t know if the advantages or disadvantages of brass, nickle silver, or steel alloy track are really going to show themselves by running a train now and then on 3 foot sections.
All three types of track have been over the years been given very extensive and thorough opportunities to show their attributes in fair comparisons on large and well maintained model railroads in all sorts of conditions.
Well, have been using nickle silver since it was first offered and find it vastly superior to brass in maintenance and operating satisfaction. That said, my “train room” is my basement, with sheetrock walls, tile ceiling, carpeted or tile floors and no other distractions so the railroad runs just fine with little maintenance other than running a track cleaningCMX train around if I haven’t operated in a couple of months (happens very rarely). Have been in HO since 1959 when I graduated from college and moved into my first basement (home). Have used brass, steel (blah, eck) and then nickle silver and nickle silver wins hands down for me.
I will throw another bone in the pile, I also do garden railroading in the backyard and I use aluminum track (Llagas Creek) and the switches are nickle silver. Why? because I run radio control/battery pack in the diesels, so maintenance is removing sticks, leaves, and an occasional pile of poop left by a squirrel, cat, or whatever. Guess what? Have the best operation in the backyard.
I use steel everywhere on my layout except in the staging where I use nickel silver. I wouldn’t trade the steel for anything. The color of the nickel silver just doesn’t sit right with me, even if the track is weathered and only the top of the rail is bare. If there is any extra maintenance and cleaning needed on the steel rail over the nickel silver it is barely noticeable. What is noticeable - traction on grades. Steel wins, hands down. Not even close.
LION buys cheapest tracks. Works fine. Him was given some brass, and did use it but it was the old flex track with the fiber ties. Used it only in straight sections in yards. It is gone now. The yards were replaced with a new four track mane lion. They did not remove as easily or as intact as NS even though it was never painted or ballasted.
It will be used in the PENN STATION exhibit on my layout. That will be a static exhibit showing off my older passenger cars and locomotives.
Agreed! However I have a brass Ford and it is always dirty. It could be the environment I use it in. Chasing Railroad Ghost can be a dirty business sometimes.[:-^]
Imports? Most of the Toyota’s, Honda’s, BMW’s, etc, etc, sold here are made here?
And all those companies make good cars, It’s just shame they don’t make cars that suit my needs.
I prefer cars that yout “get into” rather than “put on” and I require pickup trucks with 8’ beds. So for me it really does not matter how good some of those brands are.
As for brass track, it does not suit my needs either.
That’s no good way to test track, by firstly ruining it with a bright boy… I would call the test satisfying if the rail was wiped with alcohol before the test cycle.
I continue to chuckle as the controversy still rages. I was surprised to see an entry for steel track in the fray. Can’t argue with it being the most prototypical and you wouldn’t have to mess with weathering it, just leave it outside on a couple of humid days. Maybe Obama will give me a subsidy for recycling brass track rather than using up more natural resources and energy to produce nickel track.
The biggest enemy to brass track was the brass wheels that was used on locomotives these wheels gathered dirt faster then a hound does fleas which resulted in spotty operation and IMHO there lays the confusion about brass track.
Also one was wise to paint brass track in order to kill the brass look…
