Unitrack painting problem

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Bestine didn’t do it either…. 

What the actual f**k?

No paint will stick at all. Neither will a paint pen.

I'm starting to wonder if maybe you got some bootleg Unitrack, or maybe someone's molded some cocaine into the shape of it or something.

Wild.

[Dave V]

After some 12+ hours in 91% isopropyl alcohol, the rails are no more paintable. But I did remove paint from the ties… 

Seriously, these rails will not even take a paint pen.

These were brand new in the package.

The only recourse I have at this point is to spray bomb the whole thing with brown camo paint and then just very carefully ballast it. This is maddening and demoralizing.

[Dave V]

Multiple passes with a rail paint pen built up some color… I am fairly satisfied with how the ties look painted, but I feel like I’m not quite there on the rail yet. I’m also not 100% certain that the rail paint is going to remain colorfast… It seems to be bonded with hope and ignorance than an actual chemical bond.

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[Point353]

After some 12+ hours in 91% isopropyl alcohol, the rails are no more paintable. But I did remove paint from the ties… 

Seriously, these rails will not even take a paint pen.

These were brand new in the package.

The only recourse I have at this point is to spray bomb the whole thing with brown camo paint and then just very carefully ballast it. This is maddening and demoralizing.

Have you tried using white vinegar?

Some used to prep brass trains for painting by soaking the model in vinegar for a couple of hours, followed by a cleaning with a soap solution and a water rinse.

[robert3985]

Have you implemented that "perfect solution" on a T-Trak module?

No.  But, IF (a big "IF") I were to somehow decide to do a T-Trak module or group of modules, I would only use Unitrack where it's required...at the modular ends.  The rest of the track would be from my stash of Rail Craft Code55, with hand-laid turnouts, much like what I did with Ntrak's initial Atlas Code80 track requirement when I got started back in the mid 1970's, retaining a short section of Atlas Code80 on the module ends that were built to Ntrak connectivity standards, and using Rail Craft Code70 for my mainlines and Rail Craft Code55 for my sidings and single industrial spur...with hand-laid turnouts.

And, I have enough old, paint-able Unitrack in my Kato passenger car sets to sacrifice for their ends, so I wouldn't have to worry about any new stuff's paint-ability problems.

Since one of the main advantages of N-scale is an achievable excellent scenery-to-track-ratio, I am fully concentrated on big 3' X 6' modules (my own design) than downsizing for ease of transportation and setup no matter how convenient T-Trak is.

As I creep towards being in my 80's, maybe my priorities will change.  We'll see.

And, I sincerely hope Dave @Dave V , with the help of other TRW members, solves this problem!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[CRL]

My dad used carbon tetrachloride to clean brakes on airplanes while he was in the Army Air Corp during WW2, but that stuff has been delisted since then due to health & environmental issues.

[Point353]

No.  But, IF (a big "IF") I were to somehow decide to do a T-Trak module or group of modules, I would only use Unitrack where it's required...at the modular ends.  The rest of the track would be from my stash of Rail Craft Code55, with hand-laid turnouts,

Building a "non-conforming" module, that doesn't meet the published standards, runs the risk of it being excluded from a given T-Trak show layout.

[Dave V]

The isopropyl soak helped with painting ties...next time I won't soak them so long that the color comes off!

Right now I'm at a relatively acceptable point with the rails after applying three layers (with drying in between) of rail paint pen from WS.

I'm going to see if it's sufficiently cured and dried on a subsequent day to hold acrylic paint. Even if not...it looks like it's at a point where pan-pastel weathering (after final installation and ballasting) should be enough to take it to the finish line.

[peteski]

Does the Woodland Scenics paint pen contain water-based, or stinky solvent based enamel?

How about airbrushing the rails from a low angle (so the paint will mostly hit the sides of the rail and not ties/roadbed)? Or did you already tried that?

[robert3985]

Building a "non-conforming" module, that doesn't meet the published standards, runs the risk of it being excluded from a given T-Trak show layout.

Yup, that's why I always got permission from Ntrak headquarters (Jim Fitzgerald) before doing anything that was different from the published standards.  As long as full compatibility wasn't compromised, it never excluded me from any meets.

However, I've been told that the requirement for T-Trak is that where the track gets plugged into the next module is where Unitrack is required, and that between those fully compatible ends different brands of track are okay to be used.

Since I'm not considering building any T-Trak modules, I haven't read the rules, just going by what I've been told, but, if my informants are correct, then there shouldn't be any risk of exclusion from any given T-Trak show for somebody else who would rather use a much more realistic brand of track.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[ATSF_Ron]

Dave, I was also frustrated by the WS paint pen not sticking well after a few layers of build up.  And this was on decades old and newer Unitrack.  On a whim I decided to try a couple shades of Pan Pastels with a small stiff brush, right on top of the WS painted rails and the plastic ballast.  While not as good as flextrack and separately applied ballast, I think it's decent looking.  Far better than out-of-the-box.  Cleanup was a folded paper towel soaked in CRC (or CNC?) contact cleaner.

[ATSF_Ron]

I also used loose ballast glued to the edges of both sides of the slope on the Unitrak.  Although I see a spot in front of #4418 that needs touching up.  Ooops!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

No.  But, IF (a big "IF") I were to somehow decide to do a T-Trak module or group of modules, I would only use Unitrack where it's required...at the modular ends. 

Ahem... https://conrail1285.com/hacked-unitrack/

You don't even need it at the ends.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Building a "non-conforming" module, that doesn't meet the published standards, runs the risk of it being excluded from a given T-Trak show layout.

I've never seen that actually happen if the module worked fine. I can't imagine any layout coordinator doing it either. And honestly, if someone DID do that, you'd probably be better off with another group anyway.

[Point353]

I've never seen that actually happen if the module worked fine. I can't imagine any layout coordinator doing it either. And honestly, if someone DID do that, you'd probably be better off with another group anyway.

Depends upon the/your definition of works "fine".
Suppose that someone wants to run trains with 'pizza cutter' wheel flanges, for example, that run "fine" on Unitrack but don't run "fine" on a module with non-conforming track.
Do you then exclude the trains or the module?