# Stainless and Nickel Plated Track



## Jerrys-RR (Jun 21, 2010)

For various reasons I have not run trains on my main outside layout for the past 1 1/2 - 2 years. Meanwhile the leaves fell, twigs fell, acorns fell and an assortment of seeds and other air borne contaminants collected on the tracks as multiple buildings fell apart due to weather and critters. It took 5 days just to collect and burn the leaves (from two years) that had accumulated on, around and below the layout.

My primary concern was how much effort it was going to take to get the Aristo-Craft Stainless Steel track and LGB Nickel Plated Turnouts to function again as my plan was to just run plain old track power for now. The Revolutions and LGB MTS will come later.

I plugged in a power supply to both main lines, placed an Aristo RDC-1 on the outer mainline and away it went - around and around and around - with no hesitation, flickering lights or anything. 

I then flipped a couple of turnouts to move the RDC-1 to the inner main track and it derailed on a twig I had missed and then went around and around and around again with no lights flickering or hesitation.

Amazingly I never so much as tightened a screw on the track joiners.

Next week we will get the club layout up and running. The only difference is that it has Aristo turnouts so I expect the same results there.

My original layout was all brass so I had some reservations regarding the cost when I replaced all the brass with stainless and nickel plated track but the results are in - it definitely was worth it for someone like me who is unwilling or unable to maintain brass track or try to keep a bunch of battery systems charged and ready to use when I may go months/years between operations on much or most of the battery systems.

For me the priorities are:
1. get the track power working
2. get the Revolution Systems working
3. get the MTS Systems working
4. start thinking about whether I will run the live steam Mike this year 

Of course everyone is free and welcome to make their own choices but this "system" continues to work for me.

Jerry


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

I'm from a similar perspective as you, Jerry. For a variety of reasons, I'm basing my plans on rail power. But brass oxidation (i.e., cleaning it off), for me was a show-stopper. So I spent a little extra for Nickle-plated (Train-Li), and after a year the rails look like new. So glad I did. 

Specifically, my priorities are to lay the track, and get some stuff running under "raw" rail power. 
Then, make the switch over to DCC. 

===>Cliff


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## John Allman (Jan 2, 2008)

I had wondered how your ex-trailer layout had faired. Glad to hear it is up and running. 

I'm sure I will engender comment from this, but in my experience you actually do get what you pay for in this hobby. You are proof of that.


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## Jerrys-RR (Jun 21, 2010)

Posted By John Allman on 14 Jun 2013 06:44 PM 
I had wondered how your ex-trailer layout had faired. 

Hi John, 
It has been said that I tend to get carried away. In this case the little trailer layout became the Caboose Layout and eventually ended up larger than the caboose. I don't have any decent photos but here it is on Google Earth (north of the caboose):










The caboose became our clubhouse so naturally we needed a club layout.









The trailer went back to being a trailer.

Regards,

Jerry


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## Jerrys-RR (Jun 21, 2010)

Posted By CliffyJ on 14 Jun 2013 04:52 PM 
brass oxidation (i.e., cleaning it off), for me was a show-stopper. So I spent a little extra for Nickle-plated (Train-Li), and after a year the rails look like new. So glad I did. 

Then, make the switch over to DCC. 

===>Cliff 


Hi Cliff,

20 years ago I was 49 years old and I had plenty of energy to build and maintain my layouts with brass track. Even today my garage and crawl space layouts are brass and I am perfectly happy with that brass track as it gives me very little trouble. I can quickly and easily run a LGB Track Cleaning Loco to any section that gives the slightest problem (which seldom ever happens).

By starting with brass track I had something of value to sell or trade when I upgraded to stainless steel track and nickel plated turnouts. Besides, stainless and nickel plated were not available when I started in the hobby. I did not know that Train-Li now has nickel plated track.

It has been my experience that most people end up very happy with whatever they choose - probably because they know better than anyone else exactly what their priorities are and what appeals to them individually.

The way I see it, if I have a well running track powered layout anyone (including me) can run anything from track power to battery to DCC to DCS to MTS to Live Steam. For me the added benefit is that I get to run any and all of them myself rather than limit myself to a single option.

It sounds like you have a well thought out plan that should work out very nicely for you.

Jerry


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