I use gargraves track but a friend of mine with the old type lionel track wonders ifhe can make his center rail black. I hane no idea what gargraves uses or of there is a practical way to do thisThan all.
Thanks to all.
Quay
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Only the top of the rail needs to be bare to make a good electrical connection. Any kind of paint would work to color the sides of the rail.
I agree with Arthur.
Although I have never painted any of my track, I know some modelers opt to paint the sides of their rails a rust color.
I think gargraves track is some type of electroplating since the center rail carries the current. I painted my tracks with Rustoleum's camouflage brown and wiped the tops clean before the paint cured with mineral spirits. Your friend can do the same with his tubular track. If he wants only the center rail colored black, then he'll need to remove the rail and paint it separately then replace it on the ties, making sure he insulates it. Or do a lot of masking of the outside rails and ties.
Or use a brush.
If you’re looking to darken the rail like Gargraves, use Birchwood-Casey gun bluing. That will darken the rail top and sides can be painted any color you want. The gun bluing will keep the top of the rail conductive
There's a product sold by Micromark called NeoLube. That's a graphite-based coloring agent (very thin so be careful) that's conductive. People have been using it to darken driver tires for years. For all I know, that may be the same ingredients used in gun bluing.
I painted the sides of the three rails, then inserted basswood strips under the track for ties, then ballasted it.
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@West Side Joe posted:I painted the sides of the three rails, then inserted basswood strips under the track for ties, then ballasted it.
what with the out side 3rd rail
@West Side Joe Your track looks great! That’s the most realistic tubular track I have ever seen.
@AGHRMatt posted:There's a product sold by Micromark called NeoLube. That's a graphite-based coloring agent (very thin so be careful) that's conductive. People have been using it to darken driver tires for years. For all I know, that may be the same ingredients used in gun bluing.
Are there any issues with shorting out the center rail if you saturate/coat the insulation holding the rail in place?
And I believe gun bluing uses a dilute solution of nitric acid to create a chemically bonded protective 'blue' layer on steel -- if NeoLube uses graphite, I suspect it's a wholly different process. I've never used either, so take my comments as a pure SWAG . . . 
@Steve Tyler posted:Are there any issues with shorting out the center rail if you saturate/coat the insulation holding the rail in place?
And I believe gun bluing uses a dilute solution of nitric acid to create a chemically bonded protective 'blue' layer on steel -- if NeoLube uses graphite, I suspect it's a wholly different process. I've never used either, so take my comments as a pure SWAG . . .
Because it's conductive I could definitely see a potential problem if one got sloppy with Neolube.
@Dave Koehler posted:what with the out side 3rd rail
It's a subway layout. Third rail is cosmetic.
I used cold steel bluing. It does not effect electrical conduction at all so you can use it on top of the rail. Sorry I should have added the link earlier https://www.amazon.com/Birchwo...aps%2C144&sr=8-5
This stuff goes a very long way.
No experience using it, but Woodland Scenics makes a "rust colored" paint pen that can be used.
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