Walt,
N/S has many advantages, and I believe I would prefer it overall for Oregon.
However, San Val Trains reports N/S rail pits a lot in Los Angeles' acid
rain climate. Is there any difference in traction on Nickle Silver vs
Stainless Steel vs Brass rail?
I sent Aristo Craft's rail bender back to them to examine. For the rail AC
sent me (four tubes of rail) I found the rail bender's large die did not
allow the rail head to insert into the top slot. This caused a persistent
spiral to be formed into rail no matter how I bent the rail. I looked
closely at the die and noticed the rail head hits the bottom edge of the
rail head slot preventing the head from inserting into the slot of the large
die while the smaller dies allow the head to fully insert.
AC has not found a similar problem with the rail they run through the bender
I wonder if AC made some batches of rail slightly different sizes. Anyone
else with experience with AC rail and AC bender?
Hope you have some thougths Walt
Gary Lane
wanting to bend rail that lays flat when finished.
P.S. AC rail bends a tighter curve when inserted in the bender from one end
than the other end of the rail (it does not matter which end of the bender
the rail is inserted into, but it does matter which end of each piece of
rail is inserted). Apparently rail is coiled at some point in manufacture
and shipping. Probably coiled prior to final shaping.
-------Original Message-------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Thursday, November 01, 2001 04:28:45 PM
To: Multiple recipients of sslivesteam
Subject: Re: Track
Hi,
You may also want to check the price of the nickel silver rail Aristo
markets. The advantage of N/S over stainless is the fact that the N/S takes
on a very nice patina that looks very prototypical. On the other hand, now
that the alloy has been changed, the stainless steel rail will virtually
always look like toy train rail.
If you are going to use track power to illuminate passenger cars, caboose
lights, etc. the patina on N/S remains conductive.
Keep your steam up!
Walt Swartz
PS I do get a royalty from Aristo on rail benders, but do not receive
compensation for rail or other products.
