What to use to darken the cntr rail on Atlas track

Micromark sells Neolube, which darkens shiny driving rods on steamers, etc., very realistically, and conducts electricity. It would work, but it is expensive and it would wear off and you would have to renew it eventually.  

What about a permanent black marker.  I don't know how it would work on metal.  I use it on military models (tank tracks).  Paint does not stick to the vinyl tracks on tanks but permanent marker works great.

Rick

Why would you want to "darken it", when it is already black? When you weather your track, all three rails will be sprayed the same. 

I've actually been thinking about this. I switched to Supersnap but I've picked up some earlier K-Line track that is physically compatible (except for the snap connectors) in that it accepts track pins  and the ties are the same but some of it including some of the older switches have silver center rails.

I've seen something called conductive paint. It comes in various colors (not to many) one of which is black. While the very top is likely to wear over time from contact with the collector the sides and the rest of the rail should remain intact.

Hello Audi:  I am going to assume that you mean the top of the Atlas track, where the rollers on the engines pick up the electricity. I have used the "Gun Blue" with great success.  The brand that I have is Birchwood Casey Super Blue, purchased at a local gun store.  To make this work though (and I too have Atlas track) you must sand the top of the track. I use a 60 grit sandpaper, and follow it up with a scotchbrite pad to make it smooth.  Make sure you sand off all the old Atlas black, before using the scotchbrite pad.  Then vacuum up the remnants (dust).  Take a small artist brush and "paint" the top of the rail with the gun blue.  You will see the rail start to blacken.  Immediately upon seeing it blacken, use a paper towel to wipe it clean.  Wipe, wipe, wipe until it is smooth.  (It may take a time or two to get the feel of this, but you will).  I have used this method successfully to get rid of "dead spots" on some of the Atlas track, especially on some of the turnouts. I think at times Atlas puts too much blackening on the track and it doesn't conduct electricity well. The gun blue conducts electricity perfectly, so no worries here. Give it a try.....I think you will find it actually works very well, and you will be hard pressed to see a visual difference between the area that you use the gun blue on vs the original Atlas blackening....and as mentioned the gun blue conducts electricity very well.  Hope this helps.

"Blacken-It", also available from Micro-Mark.

works on most metals except stainless steel and aluminum;

electrically conductive.