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| Lead alloy steel rail http://fast-tracks.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=795 |
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| Author: | sambear [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:51 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Lead alloy steel rail |
I have read on a couple of different discussions that some modelers use lead-alloy steel rail. Where does one get lead alloy steel rail? Does it come in code 55, 70, 83, etc.? How does it compare in terms of conductivity and expense? Thanks... |
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| Author: | emccamey [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:12 pm ] |
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sambear, I'm a supporter of and use the steel leadalloy rails. My favorite has been the C&L code 75 rails produced in the UK and has at various times been stocked here in the US. However, the inventories are now depeleted world wide and C&L has not indicated they will restock. Leadalloy steel rails are also available in code 82/83 and in code 100 with flat bottom bases (typcial US style rail profile). They are also supplied in code 40 - but that's a British "bullhead" rail profile that does not have the flat base. I've never known a supply of code 70. Code 55 is also available in bullhead profile. Almost exclusively now you have to order it from one of the UK specialty suppliers. Code 82 flat bottom Steel Rail: http://www.exactoscale.co.uk/4mmtrack.html (also has a wide range of bullhead profile) Here in the US - large codes 100 and code 125 Steel Rail: Right-O-Way (O scale supplier): Louis R. Cross 23682 Road 15-3/4 Chowchilla, CA 93610 First, it looks like steel - requires no painting or weathering. Second, because of the lead content, it solders well and does not rust. Third, it carries electrical current about twice that of nickel silver rails, so conductivity is much better. It does get a corrosion, but in my experience, regular running keeps it clean on the rail heads. Just regular cleaning maintenance like one must actually do with the nickel silver is quite sufficient. It is actually softer than nickel silver, easy to curve and form, draws well and good small web profiles that are more prototypical are provided. |
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| Author: | sambear [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:31 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Was there a reason this type of rail was not made industry standard? Is nickel-silver somewhat more resilient or is there an issue of supply that left lead-alloy steel rail off most of North American manufacturer's offerings as of late? Micro-Engineering's nickel-silver rail is excellent; just wonder if lead-alloy steel could meet those standards as well? |
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| Author: | emccamey [ Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:13 pm ] |
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sambear, The market is driven by perceptions as much as technical. Think Beta vs. VHS, and PC vs. MAC, and now even HD-TV vs. Bluetooth. Many of the commercial offerings of steel rail did not use the leaded alloy and it did rust. This gave 'steel' rail a very deservedly bad reputation. Another issue is that the leadalloy steel is a 'softer' metal. It will deform more readily if used or handled wrongly. There is nothing wrong with nickel silver - especially once it's 'weathered' (I prefer painting rather than chemical treatments). The Micro Engineering rail is excellent. It has a well formed profile with a finer railhead than most comparisons of the same code. It is very consistent in its foundry production. You won't go wrong on using the Micro Engineering rail. It's well made and far more important; readily available from a wide set of sources. The LaVancil code 81 rail (a nickel silver) has a slightly finer railhead, has a much smaller center web - giving more relieve to the profile appearance. This rail was originally drawn as a code 70 sized base and railhead with a code 81/82 height at a time when code 83 was decidedly 'bulkier'. Since that time the mid-code Micro Engineering rails now also have the same interchange with both the code 70 and code 83 dimensional criteria other than the heights allowing practical interchange. The C&L code 75 leadalloy steel rail was sized to a near exact representation of AREA #115 rail. Like the LaVancil rail - a finer cross section. It was originally foundered for representation of a British code rail and the resulting model compromises made it so perfect for the AREA rail that I've enjoyed for several decades. I still have about 280 feet of this rail, but it will not be available in the future. (Note: the Peco code 75 nickel silver rail profile is a very fine and compatible match to the C&L leadalloy steel rail). I've not been able to locate a bulk supplier of the Peco code 75 rail and I don't want to pay the extra expense of stripping from their flex track. I've also used some of the Peco IL-1 code 60 rail, which is available in bulk. |
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| Author: | sambear [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 11:09 am ] |
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Guess then it is best to stay with ME given its excellence. Ed (et. al.) what do you paint it to give it a weathered look? I guess it must be painted once attached to the ties as the Warris' video shows, but after that is there any additional method to make the rail look more weathered? |
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| Author: | oldsnowtop1 [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
sambear, I have been using A-West's, Blacken-It on the ME code 83 rail when I am building switches. You can find it at Walthers or Micro-Mark. Chuck L. |
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| Author: | oldsnowtop1 [ Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:11 pm ] |
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sambear, Got ahead of myself on the first post. Forgot to mention that the Blacken-It is not a paint, but an etchant. After treatment, I clean the tops of the rails using a very fine rail cleaning pad. The results are very close to the appearance of the weathered rail that ME markets. |
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