Bill, Good article.
http://www.aztectrains.com/S_TS.html Thanks. John Claudino AZTEC MANUFACTURING CO. On Aug 26, 2011, at 7:19 PM, scale S only wrote: > Hi guys --- > > I got this from another group and thought it might be good to pass along. > I have edited the other comments out, though the text contained is intact. > > Have fun! > Bill Winans > ---------------------------------------- > > > I pulled this article from Model Railroad Hobbyist Magazine, an e-zine. > > Here's a rather interesting look at just what that dirt is... > John > > > Black > > Gunk > > > After discussing the track fouling problem with a friend, he sent me a > > piece of heavily used, poorly cleaned silver nickel track which I then > > sent to the > > analytical lab for an analysis of the black crud that was presumed to be > > from using plastic wheels. The report came back today. > > Drum roll please... > > It has nothing to do with plastic wheels... sort of. The black crud is > > near 100% pure nickel oxide. Nickel (III) oxide to be specific. Saw the > > spectrograph output proving it. It is the natural oxidation of the nickel > > in the silver nickel plating on the track. Interestingly enough, it is > > deposited in such a manner as to suggest it was formed during an > > electrical arc. When viewed under extreme magnification it looks like > > random dots rather than a continuous film. The metallurgist explained to > > me it is likely microscopic irregularities on the tread of locomotive > > wheels and track face and/or common dust on the track is causing momentary > > loss of electrical contact resulting in nanosecond duration, nanometer > > long electrical arcs which cause the nickel to oxidize far faster than > > would naturally occur. One could never see this with the naked eye they > > would be so small. He is only guessing based on observation of the > > deposits but who am I to question his analysis? The oxide is also very > > tightly bound to the track. This explains why a Brite Boy is > effective while wet wiping is not. > When asked about plastic wheels he postulates the plastic has nothing to do > with it. Rather, metal wheels due to their harder surface are far more > effective at wearing away the oxide. The wheels aren't responsible for the > problem, they are the removers of oxide and plastic is just a very poor > remover. > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
