Pre-weathered track...why not?

1.  I am unaware of a perfect track system I like, and the best to me in appearance

seems flimsy in construction, and a pain to work with.

2.  Added content will equal an UP-CHARGE.

3.  Not everyone will want their track weathered (equals two types required, maybe

a stocking and, possibly, greater availability problem) as there will be differences

as to how weathered track should look, where used on a well traveled main line,

or rusty strip in the weeds.  If I could get my paws on track I liked, I will weather it.

An interesting concept. However, different modelers will desire vastly different "weathering color" depending on the era one is modeling. For one thing, normal, heavily used, main line rail is RARELY ever "rust colored". Since I model the 1940s thru mid-1950s, steam era, the main line rails were always coated with a dark "charcoal green" oily film from the discharge of all those oil lubricated plain bearing equipped freight cars.

The only rust I have seen is on the top of the rails, otherwise they appear brown or  brownish red Oxide in color

Because I wouldn't buy it.  I've seen some that look great, but I don't want it on my layout.

Oh. Gosh. Yes. I have painted so much GG track. I like GG/Ross/Curtis. A straightforward

product that seems to be what I use, when I build.

But I have seen photos online and in the mags of so many nice "realistic" layouts -

basically far better done that mine ever was - ruined by all that chrome track. Just looks

silly.

Some paint it "oxide red" - which looks orange, as often as not, especially in photos.

RR track away from the desert tend to rust/dirty to a dark, flat brown - almost black. I use Krylon, etc, Camo Brown. It looks just like most of the track that I see all over the real world in my area. I sometimes wonder if many guys ever simply get in the car and go

LOOK at real track and the color(s) that it tends to be.

If GG had all 3 rails blackened, that would do. But how that one black center rail enhances

"realism" when it is awash in a sea of chrome that would do justice to a '58 Oldsmobile,

I don't know.

The other tracks are also visually challenged in various ways (Fastrack and RealTrax

should be blended in their features...Fastrack ties/spacing, rail height and ballast color/texture; RealTrax T-rail shape), but oh, the shine! The shine! 

Same reason there isn't many pre-weathered cars and engines. Too many personal preferences to make everyone happy. I've seen a lot of rust colored rail on layouts, but it really depends on where you live, and the time period you're modeling. Heavily used mainlines do not have a rusty look to them. They are dirty and grimy, black, brown, or a greenish/black. Abandoned or slightly used sidings might have a rusty look to them back east, but out west they are just dirty dark brown, or a very deep raw umber color. You need moisture for rust, and we just don't have it out here.

I buy mostly old Postwar stuff including track. Usually don't have to worry about weathering rails or rolling stock! 

Hardest part is removing any unwanted "weathering" from stuff.

D500, I hear you.

My carpet central / Christmas Layout is Realtrax and I have noticed there are 2 rail colors, I much prefer the darker metal.

Switching to Scaletrax for the big layout and it will get weathered to a dirty red brown.

The tiny black center rail is as good as it gets in 3 rail.

Definitely prefer it to Fastrack rail shape and color.

It would also add an additional cost to the track & we complain about the current costs.

Manufacturers and hobby shops would have to stock two types of track instead of just one for each one that offered weathered track. Some don't want weathering so plain would still have to be stocked also. That would increase their inventory and operating costs.

Probably most important is what others have said above, no two people will want the track weathered in the same manner. Everyone has a preference for the way they want things on their layouts and a track manufacturer would be hard pressed to meet those requirements.

Hobby shops are barely able to stock track that's currently available. I think there would be little desire to stock two varieties of accentually the same product. Plus, I highly doubt that any two runs of weathered track would match. A task best left to the individual modeler.

Is it really necessary to ask why something which is intrinsically unrealistic does not have a feeble attempt at realism from the maker? Kind of like buying a 3 eyed doll and wondering why it does not have mascara on it to make it look "realistic".

I personally like the "rusty" rail look. BUT do NOT want the manufacturers to do it for me. It would never look right. Iron rusts in different "hues" depending in what part of the country or world you are inhabiting.

When my son and I broke out my Dad's collection of trains, the Lionel tin plated track had been in storage for almost 20 years and developed a nice "petina" finish. We cleaned up the tops of the track and used it for our "rail yards" put ballast around it and we get comments from visitors about where the track came from.

Bottom line NO don't produce it make your own

In my opinion if "weathered" track were offered by the major track makers, i.e., Ross, Gargraves, etc. it would save quite a bit of time and effort for modelers interested in realistic appearing track. I don't believe the variation in rail coloring would be a big issue. Real tracks differ in color on the mainlines and branchlines too. Modelers could, with less effort, customize it to suit their needs. For large layouts like the NJ Hirailers this would be a blessing.      

I requested the center rail to be WHITE instead of black for SNOW SCENES.

The curmudgeons at Gargraves didn’t want to bother with the idea.

Companies just can’t think out of the box as they remain stuck in the past.

With a dwindling train market, I would do anything to make a sale.

My own opinion of course, but I do not find the third rail much of a distraction at all. certainly not in the three eyed doll category.

Well that is just fascinating. I am glad that you enjoy 3 rail toy trains. But what exactly does your perception of a 3 rail model of a 2 railed train have to do with why manufacturers do not offer weathered rail on 3 railed track? The OP was wondering why this is so and I offered a rational explanation. Adding a detail to increase realism such as weathering to something that by its very nature is not realistic does not suddenly change it's base nature. I am quite certain that there are people who would not be distracted by a 3 eyed doll as well. Does that mean that adding mascara to a 3 eyed doll will suddenly make it seem realistic to everyone else? Would it sell more dolls? I am going to take a wild guess and say no, it wouldn't. The people who could care less about having a third eye on a doll are most likely not going to notice if the doll has eye makeup on, and those who do notice that the doll has three eyes and would therefore never buy it would not likely be swayed to do so because of some nice eye makeup on all 3 eyes.

OK, how did we get from pre-weathered track to to three eyed dolls? Are these dolls a tie in with Lionel's atomic energy trains and accessories?

I can see the three eyed doll with mascara not being recommended by various groups because it sends the wrong message to little girls that they should be wearing makeup. On the other hand other groups would be in favor of three eyed dolls to help children accept and play with other children who don't look like them.

As for pre-weathered track? Since it would no doubt be made in China and be weathered with lead based paint a whole army of different child welfare groups would be up in arms and demand it be taken off the shelves of stores everywhere.

Thank you Owen for your explanation.

Thanks to everyone else for your replies as well.

I have weathered some of my Fastrack, from advice given from articles in OGR and I believe it does improve the overall look of the track.

I certainly do enjoy my 3 rail toys trains!

Having been a big supporter of Ross and Gargraves the last 15 years I have to say there's been numerous times I wish their track had a slight weathering effect. All my efforts to weather myself have been failures.

When I was in HO back in the 70's, you could buy weathered rail for hand laying. There was also a chemical browning agent that you could apply.  It was supposed to be electrically conductive, and it looked pretty good.

Blacken-It

That makes 2 of us Michael. I actually like the center rail, to me my track wouldn't look right without it.

I would like to have had the opportunity to purchase weathered track from the manufacturer but at what cost? Weaver has a series of Milw Rd boxcars that includes 13 different versions. One version is a gray M.O.W. that comes two ways, a freshly painted version and a slightly weathered version which is very tastefully done. I purchased the weathered version which had no additional charge and am quite pleased with the look. I have also used the magic marker type weathering tools on the sides of the rails of my Atlas track and like that also. My wife did most of that and she did a great job on it. So, what am I saying? I'm saying yes to weathering and yes to factory weathering if it is both lightly done with little or no cost to me.