Ancient Atlas Code 80 Rail

[BuddyBorders]

I'm starting to build some Fast Tracks turnouts for my new layout and am using ancient Atlas Code 80 rail because I have a lot of it. It's coming from the old (not so) flex track that will not be used on the new layout. Stripping and cleaning the rail is a little tedious, but I do get it quite clean and have built 1 turnout so far that came out pretty good for my first time in quite a few decades. I was pleased enough with my efforts to begin making a small batch of turnouts so I can start laying track.

After I chopped and formed enough parts to make 5-6 frog points, I was moving things on the work bench and discovered that a couple of rails had stuck to the magnet on the Tie Breaker! WTH?! Nickle silver is not magnetic since it's a brass alloy. The rail isn't the usual gray of steel, although under bright light there is a very slight color difference between the polished NS rail and the mystery rail. Is it possible that Atlas used real nickle in the early days of N? It does solder together, but not as well as the nickle silver rail.

Things that make you go Hmmm

-Buddy
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[nkalanaga]

It's possible.  I also have a few pieces of Minitrix sectional track that appear to be real steel - complete with rust.

As for nickel-silver, I don't know.  Looking online, some sources say that only iron is magnetic, while others list nickel and cobalt as well.  Since both groups are quite definite about their "facts", it's hard to tell.  The old Canadian quarters had enough nickel to be magnetic, but I don;t know what else was in them.

[garethashenden]

Iron, nickel, and cobalt are the only three magnetic elements. Nickel Silver is a variation of brass, where nickel is added to the copper/zinc alloy of brass. The standard alloys are 60% Cu, 20% Zn, 20% Ni according to Wikipedia, although I have seen other sources say 18%Ni. If the nickel content were increased it would make it magnetic, but I can't easily find a source for when that occurs.

I will add that different percentages will affect the color to some extent.

[BuddyBorders]

It's possible.  I also have a few pieces of Minitrix sectional track that appear to be real steel - complete with rust.

As for nickel-silver, I don't know.  Looking online, some sources say that only iron is magnetic, while others list nickel and cobalt as well.  Since both groups are quite definite about their "facts", it's hard to tell.  The old Canadian quarters had enough nickel to be magnetic, but I don;t know what else was in them.

I've known about the old Rapido track too that was steel. Didn't know about Trix. I found a few more sections of the Atlas 2500 flex that are also magnetic. Maybe they just got a high nickel content wire when they made these rails. The tarnish is not as bad as some of the non-magnetic sections.

Al-Ni-Co magnets are made from Aluminum, Nickel and Cobalt. Nickel and Cobalt are also magnetic materials. It took me by surprise when I found that out years ago when I was learning the machinist trade. Miserable stuff to work with!

-Buddy

[BuddyBorders]

Iron, nickel, and cobalt are the only three magnetic elements. Nickel Silver is a variation of brass, where nickel is added to the copper/zinc alloy of brass. The standard alloys are 60% Cu, 20% Zn, 20% Ni according to Wikipedia, although I have seen other sources say 18%Ni. If the nickel content were increased it would make it magnetic, but I can't easily find a source for when that occurs.

I will add that different percentages will affect the color to some extent.

Yes, the alloy numbers are right. Hence my confusion when everything starting sticking to the magnet! All I can figure out is perhaps they got a high nickle content wire along the way (over 70%) that would exhibit the magnetic quality. If I was still working, I might be able to have it analyzed. But that resource is no longer available to me.

I guess I'll have to root through my track pile with a magnet before I salvage more

-Buddy