Model train electronics

bitrex · 2021-12-16T19:28:26+00:00

The foamers have come to the conclusion that a reason their tracks get "dirty" and cause power drop-outs is in large part due to nickel oxides deposited on the nickel silver rail surface from micro-arcing and microscopic pitting caused by the pick-up wheels.So they look for a surface coating or cleaner that reduces micro-arcing (if that really is the main reason) but doesn't affect traction too much; anhydrous isopropyl is thought inappropriate because it leaves the rail surface too dry after it evaporates, some swear by mineral spirits, I guess some use a thin coating of automatic transmission fluid.Is it possible to rather reduce the micro-arcing at the source through some kind of snubbing or is that not really feasible wrt the process described.

Dec 16, 2021 Last reply: 2 years ago 63 Replies

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Flyguy 4 years ago

Mine is fine, but yours SUCKS! Go reread the material - it is all in there.

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Joerg 4 years ago

As a kid I did something nasty. *Don't* try that at home.

I modulated high voltage spikes onto the voltage that went to the rails, similar to electric fence pulses. No more problems with locomotives not starting up or stalling. The pulses were strong enough to burn through any dirt layer. Of course, listening to the AM band was, ahem, slightly compromised.

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Dan Purgert 4 years ago

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Joerg 4 years ago

Well, I was only a kid :-)

The noise wasn't worse than that from electric fences though.

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