Answers.Body: <p>I'm not sure about LEGO, but <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A4rklin" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Märklin</a>, a company that specialized in building train models used simple <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel" rel="nofollow noreferrer">stainless steel</a> since 1982, chances are that LEGO did the same:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Stainless steel is relatively cheap</li>
  <li>It doesn't oxidize (as the name implies)</li>
  <li>The electrical charateristics aren't good, but you don't need a very good (and expensive) material like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper" rel="nofollow noreferrer">copper</a> for something "small" like toy train tracks (Märklin shows that it works)</li>
  <li>Märklin builT the electric "H0" trains since 1935, such an experienced company might have been a inspiring example when choosing a material</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Like <a href="https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/325/what-kind-of-metal-alloy-is-on-the-lego-train-tracks/328#328">starblue said</a>, nickel-siver might also be possible. Another indication of this speculation is the <a href="http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neusilber" rel="nofollow noreferrer">German Wikipedia entry</a> wich says:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Die Schienenprofile von Modelleisenbahnen [...] bestehen mitunter aus Neusilber [...]</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Translated: "the rail profile of model railways [...] sometimes consist of nickel-silver [...]"</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-28T14:26:29.657Z
Answers.Text: Both sound plausible – good finds :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: mikl
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-28T13:25:00.310Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-01-07T18:53:47.870Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-04-13T12:47:56.390Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: oezi
Answers.Body: <p>Maybe <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_silver" rel="nofollow">nickel silver</a>, which would be a suitable material. But I only found a somewhat <a href="http://www.1000steine.de/1000steine/forum2/forum_entry.php?id=83468" rel="nofollow">indirect claim on the german site 1000steine</a>.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-28T13:27:19.137Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2011-10-28T13:27:19.137Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: starblue
Body: <p>LEGO's train tracks (the actual rail part) were made from some kind of metal alloy that does not seem to oxidize, and seems to have good electrical charateristics (low resistance).</p>
  
  <p>Any ideas what this might be?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2011-11-02T03:14:35.153Z
Comments.Text: Just to put it out there, I have some old LEGO 9V train tracks that appear to have small oxidation spots on them. It makes the train run a bit unreliably, which does not exactly please my 6-year-old nephew.
Comments.UserDisplayName: dgw
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2011-11-07T14:05:19.497Z
Comments.Text: Ooh, what colour are the spots? If it's steel, they should be  rust-coloured.
Comments.UserDisplayName: mikl
Tags: <trains><manufacturing><9v>
Title: What kind of metal/alloy were on the old LEGO 9V train tracks?
UserDisplayName: mikl
ThreadText: # What kind of metal/alloy were on the old LEGO 9V train tracks?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2011-10-28)
  
  LEGO's train tracks (the actual rail part) were made from some kind of metal alloy that does not seem to oxidize, and seems to have good electrical charateristics (low resistance).
  
  Any ideas what this might be?
  
  **Tags:** trains, manufacturing, 9v
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Just to put it out there, I have some old LEGO 9V train tracks that appear to have small oxidation spots on them. It makes the train run a bit unreliably, which does not exactly please my 6-year-old nephew.  
  > **username_0**: Ooh, what colour are the spots? If it's steel, they should be  rust-coloured.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2011-10-28. Score: 10
  
  I'm not sure about LEGO, but [Märklin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A4rklin), a company that specialized in building train models used simple [stainless steel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel) since 1982, chances are that LEGO did the same:
  
  * Stainless steel is relatively cheap
  * It doesn't oxidize (as the name implies)
  * The electrical charateristics aren't good, but you don't need a very good (and expensive) material like [copper](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper) for something "small" like toy train tracks (Märklin shows that it works)
  * Märklin builT the electric "H0" trains since 1935, such an experienced company might have been a inspiring example when choosing a material
  
  Like [starblue said](https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/325/what-kind-of-metal-alloy-is-on-the-lego-train-tracks/328#328), nickel-siver might also be possible. Another indication of this speculation is the [German Wikipedia entry](http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neusilber) wich says:
  
  > Die Schienenprofile von Modelleisenbahnen [...] bestehen mitunter aus Neusilber [...]
  
  Translated: "the rail profile of model railways [...] sometimes consist of nickel-silver [...]"
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Both sound plausible – good finds :)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2011-10-28. Score: 3
  
  Maybe [nickel silver](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_silver), which would be a suitable material. But I only found a somewhat [indirect claim on the german site 1000steine](http://www.1000steine.de/1000steine/forum2/forum_entry.php?id=83468).
  
  
  ---
  
  