# going aluminum rail



## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

I've decided to rebuild my entire railroad, replacing brass 332 with aluminum 215 from Llagas Creek (only ordering rails as make my own wood ties);

http://www.llagastrack.com/pricelist.html

price is $2.90 per each 6 ft of rail (scroll down to see part #215AL).


Is this the lowest price out there?

Any way to stain reddish/brown rust color? I'm thinking paint may chip. Incidentally, I'm using R/C; also, I did see the aluminum rail post, but my questions are regarding something different.


Thanks!!!


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I found some brown/rust color primer in a spray can (check all your local hardware stores - the chains stock different makes.) Put the rail on a piece of newspaper and spray both sides. Wipe the tops immediately, or sand them afterwards.


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

thanks, Pete


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## Burl (Jan 2, 2008)

I paint mine with Krylon Camo Brown. You can see what it looks like in the foreground of this picture: 










I use battery power, so I paint the whole rail, and let the top wear off.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

If you are going to paint 6' lengths of rail there is an easy way to do it. You will neeed a length of board that is just a little longer than 6'. Put four long nails in it spaced equally in a staight line. Stack the unpainted rail between the nails by weaving them between the nails. My nails will hold about 9 sections of stacked rails. Now you can spray both sides of the rail without much oversray to the tops. Remove after spraying and clean whatever got on the tops. Make sense ? kind of hard to explain.


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