Preserving Tubular Track

I've had very few issues with tubular track getting rusty, even with my layout in the basement. I do wipe it down on occasion with a soft cloth with a light spray of TV tuner lubricant/cleaner on it.

I have cleaned my tubular track sections with cotton rags (old t-shirts) and WD-40 over the years and it still looks like new. 

I just pulled out my old tubular track from the attic this Christmas. Now it is over 50 years old and spent the last 21 years in an unheated attic. No rust at all. The last time I used it I cleaned it with alcohol and just put it in a card board box.

Very interesting and valuable comments here. I did not know tv tuner lube was still available, and a few pieces of track that I had wrapped and boxed in my garage have a few rust spots. I live in California!

Joe Gozzo

I wonder if being wrapped trapped moisture? 

Renovo PRR posted:

I just pulled out my old tubular track from the attic this Christmas. Now it is over 50 years old and spent the last 21 years in an unheated attic. No rust at all. The last time I used it I cleaned it with alcohol and just put it in a card board box.

I agree.  I think many times people overthink things. 

Joe,

 I'm always interested in this topic. Thanks for posting it. I only have a workbench O27 oval for now. It's been in the basement for 8 years or so. No signs of rust so far. Here in the Hudson Valley of NY, it gets humid in the summers. I like to experiment with things like this. Maybe 3-4 years ago, from a box of rusty tubular track pieces, I had cleaned the rust away with a Scotch Brite pad, then pulled 4 tubular sections aside. I coated each one with WD-40. Who knows if that had anything to do with it, but all 4 appear to still be clean from rust. 

Hoping to build a "real" layout in the next few years...may wait to retire first.  

Tom 

My last was up for 14 years in my basement. It consisted of tubular O and standard gauge track. The track was new when I installed it. I looked exactly the same 14 years later. The key is keeping the basement humidity under control with a humidifier. No need to clean or coat the track.

This was bright, shiny tin-plate (top & bottom) when new...

Pre-1923 SG switch

I paint the sides with flat black paint and clean the tops off for electrical contact. While the humidity in this area runs around 13% rust is probably not a problem. I like the rails painted anyway so they look more natural. 

My modern tinplate track, over a period of two decades, has required no maintenance and is rust free.

I think environmental factors have a lot to do with survival condition.

Tinplate may not go dark/rust in one owner’s lifetime... but...

I grew up with my older brother’s S-gauge AF , which had a 10-year head start on me, and 65 years down the road, no rust or appreciable darkening, no oiling or special storage treatment.

This fall/winter, I’ve been playing with “early” (pre-Classic Era) Standard Gauge stuff, and all of that track, which was bright tin, ties & all, has gone dark, and 40-50% of the pieces show some spot/edge rust.

Tin is somewhat sensitive to temperature, and at low temperatures(15* C?), can begin to undergo a chemical change and go dark. This phenomenon was first noticed with organ pipes in European churches.  Google “tin pest” for more info.

Based on what I’ve observed, if one has aggressively cleaned-up old track ( more than just wiping dust off ), I would suggest wiping all surfaces down with light oil or other rust preventative before storing, then packing as you would locos or rolling stock (something  that won’t trap moisture), then when next using, wipe the running/contact surfaces clean with solvent of your choice.

Sometimes a brief (one year?) storage can unintentionally turn into years/decades.

 I will be treating my pre-Depression SG track with oil/something before putting away until next Christmas.  I aggressively cleaned mine (abrasive metal polish, buffing wheel in some cases), and there may be bare steel that will flash-rust.

I’d rather wipe-off oil next December than have to deal with rust...

Fran McM.