03-16-2009, 02:19 AM
I have never had very good success with HO brass track. Nickel Silver on the other hand, has been great. I've found brass track to be difficult to keep clean...it sure seems to oxidize a heck of a lot faster. Everything I've ever read has confirmed this.
I believe the real issue is the rate of the reactions. I bet that if you look it up, you'll find that either the nickel inhibits corrosion or that it becomes a sacrificial anode for the copper which protects it. I've been up working for many hours...so I can't quite bring my knowledge of catalysis out of the memory banks to explain what role (if any) that it might have.
In my experience, brass is great for Large scale. Nickel Silver for HO and N. Corrosion seems to be more of an issue the smaller the scale (as is electrical pickup in general). As for adhesion, I can't recall how brass and nickel silver match up...but I do recall that steel is much better. The downside to steel is its poor conductivity. Hence there are the questions of whether a model locomotive should have nickel silver or steel tires.
I believe the real issue is the rate of the reactions. I bet that if you look it up, you'll find that either the nickel inhibits corrosion or that it becomes a sacrificial anode for the copper which protects it. I've been up working for many hours...so I can't quite bring my knowledge of catalysis out of the memory banks to explain what role (if any) that it might have.
In my experience, brass is great for Large scale. Nickel Silver for HO and N. Corrosion seems to be more of an issue the smaller the scale (as is electrical pickup in general). As for adhesion, I can't recall how brass and nickel silver match up...but I do recall that steel is much better. The downside to steel is its poor conductivity. Hence there are the questions of whether a model locomotive should have nickel silver or steel tires.
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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