Stainless Steel Rails in the Garden

Summary: Stainless steel tracks typically can handle harsh sun (Florida, California, South America), high humidity and salt air as well as colder northern climates. The rails are very hard and resistant to wear caused by heavy use.

(Work in progress, just laying some thoughts down first) Flex track allows for long sections of track without joints for very smooth running and great electric conductivity. These long sections also allow long sweeping curves without track joints which helps to reduce wheel wear caused by the joints of sectional track. Power can be fed directly through the Stainless Steel Rail Clamps eliminating the need for any special track section for that purpose.

Benefits of Stainless Steel

• Cleaning
  • We recommend just lightly hosing off the rail to remove bird droppings and other debris that accumulate on the rail surface.
  • Sometimes a quick wipe with an old towel, or even a paper towel, is all that is needed to remove dust and other debris.
  • Unlike brass, nickel silver, or nickel plated brass, stainless steel doesn't require grueling work or harsh chemicals to remove non-conductive oxidization of the rails. 
• Rugged
  • Stainless Steel track is very rugged. Holds up well to heavy train usage and is structurally durable. Compared to other softer materials, stainless steel tracks have been reported as nearly indestructible.
  • Stainless Steel track requires a rail bender due the strength of the rail. You will not be able to make any usable bends without one.
• Electrical
  • Stainless steel doesn't conduct as well as some other materials by weight, however, our rails use more material per length of track than other brands. 
  • We recommend not going more than 18-20 feet of trail between track power feeders using 14 AWG solid wire and quality rail clamps.
  • Using rail clamps between sections help with electrical conductivity and can also double as power feeders to the track as you won't be able to solder to stainless steel.

Additional Reading

• Track Work
• Track wiring - What good is track work without proper track wiring.
• Programming Track - How to wire programming track safely.
• Blocks - Working with blocks, or track sections.
• Track cleaning in the garden - Cleaning the rails in the garden.
• Code 250 versus Code 332 Rail
• Ballast