Brass Rails

[Richard Wagner]

Dear List,

I apologize in advance if these points have already been covered.  I've
been sifting through incoming headers, and may have missed out on the content.

Anyway,... my 2 cents on the subject:


>>Gregory Torres (and Conrad) have written:
>>I have heard that if you anneal brass (heat it to some temperature and
>>let it cool slowly), this cures the brittleness


The 1996 PTG convention in Dearborn MI had a class about heat treating and
annealing brass rails.

Unfortunately, I don't know who taught it because I couldn't attend that
session.

He did trigger off the fire alarm at least once though!


My thoughts on the subject run towards removing the rail, and applying an
electrical current across it so as to heat it to the desired temperature,
then slowly cooling, and thus annealing it.

[Metalurgists & Electrical Engineers]..  Could this be done?
 

>>>BTW, maybe someone can explain why stainless steel has not been used
>>>in this type of application(?)


The brass rails I've come across have generally been from the 1930's or
before.

I don't know when stainless steel came onto the scene, but it may have
emerged long after the brass-rail era.

Am I wrong?  

(Probably but at least I tried.)  ;-)


	Richard Wagner RPT