12-06-2010, 01:25 AM
We always hear that we shouldn't use any dirt that has magnetic particles in it. But is this just anecdotal, or have folks actually come to grief because of it?
Reason I ask is that I found an easy source for some fine powdery dirt from an old dirt road, but there is definitely some magnetic particles in it.
I'm not talking about using it for ballast, but for general ground cover underneath the ground foam and static grass.
Seems to me that if the material is properly glued down - similar to how ballast is done - thoroughly soaked by white glue - that there won't be any way for the magnetic stuff to come loose and get in the loco motors.
I am considering winding me a big electromagnet and uisng that to suck out all the magnetic stuff, but is that really necessary for material that won't be closer than about 2 inches from the track?
Reason I ask is that I found an easy source for some fine powdery dirt from an old dirt road, but there is definitely some magnetic particles in it.
I'm not talking about using it for ballast, but for general ground cover underneath the ground foam and static grass.
Seems to me that if the material is properly glued down - similar to how ballast is done - thoroughly soaked by white glue - that there won't be any way for the magnetic stuff to come loose and get in the loco motors.
I am considering winding me a big electromagnet and uisng that to suck out all the magnetic stuff, but is that really necessary for material that won't be closer than about 2 inches from the track?
Three Foot Rule In Effect At All Times