[ErnestHouse]

Ugh, just came back from 40 minute drive each way to a Miami store to support local business and the two pieces of Atlas O 6053 I bought don't have the top of the center rail painted black. The part number is correct. Sides are fine. ARGHHHHH. The 6050 piece I bought is fine.

Is this common? Any fix that holds up and doesn't interfere electrically?

 

[Millstonemike]

Don't have an answer for your frustration but I do have a question.

I see you have the plastic ties. How are they on noise? Several here have said the wood ties are pretty quiet.

 

[Krieglok]

I had some Atlas track I was using for a test track. It had the black center rail. The first time I cleaned it, the center railhead turned bright silver.

It looks like Atlas just blackened the web and base and left the head shiny as it will end up that way eventually.

Just my take on it. I may be wrong...

Tom

 

[Lee Willis]

Well, the top won't stay dark anyway once you start running trains, so I would not worry about it. On mine, about six years since having replaced all my Fastrak with Atlas, I now have shiny metal on all the center rails.

 

[bigdodgetrain]

my understanding is old atlas track was not painted, say in the 1990's.

 

[ErnestHouse]

Don't have an answer for your frustration but I do have a question.

I see you have the plastic ties. How are they on noise? Several here have said the wood ties are pretty quiet.

Thanks everybody. Not worth the trip. I'm coming off of 0-27. This is so smooth and quiet, I have to look to see if it's running. jkjkjk.

Atlas track is so awesome. I can die now.

 

[bigdodgetrain]

that atlas solid rail is great track.
the san diego 3railers has been running it since 2002 with so little wear you would be hard pressed to find any.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Atlas track is so awesome. I can die now.

I'm not ready to die just because I have good model RR track.

 

[Rocky Mountaineer]

As far as I know, Atlas-O center rail was always black. But many folks said they encountered a residue that caused conductivity issues. (Not sure WHY that's the case, because Gargraves/Ross users never encountered that issue.) So everybody buffed the black top off the center rail of their Atlas-O track anyway -- resulting in much better performance.

David

 

[Lee Willis]

Mine just wore off in time. Doesn't bother me in the least. Good track.