RailDust

[Niceguy]

Hey guy's anyone have any pictures of rail dust please send some.
Thx Niceguy

[oldmodman]

Re: RailDust

I lost my old pics when I switched from PC to Mac.

But they are easy to spot. VERY tiny red or light brown specks. So small that they are difficult to feel at the worst. They can be difficult to remove with mild clay. I had to use the Aggressive Red Clay Magic clay to get all the rail dust off of my Yellow Ford Cobra. Use lots of lubricant on the surface.

I'll look through some of my old memory cards to see if I can find any pics from 2002.

[akimel]

Re: RailDust

A google search will bring up several pics of rail dust.

[Bostonsfavson]

Re: RailDust

Hey guy's anyone have any pictures of rail dust please send some.
Thx Niceguy

In your searches, it's good to keep in mind that "rail dust" has become a catch-all term for all types of environmental fallout which end up as surface contamination on a vehicle's paint.

[Maserati Mario]

Re: RailDust

do a search here and you'll find many

[Eddie6th]

Re: RailDust

Yes,I think rail dust is a very loose term.I used to work on the railroads,and my car was always parked next to the tracks in various locations and I never had that problem.Even next to the iron ore freight depots.
As mentioned earlier,I think it's a general collection of contaminents from the atmosphere.Are you near any other industries that are pumpin' out waste?

[10degreesbtdc]

Re: RailDust

I believe "rail dust" specifically refers to brake and brake rotor (metal) particles that are in the air all around us and not specifically to railroad track rails. It is brown in color since it rusts.

Here's what Sherwin Williams has to say about it. Not sure I agree with all of it! Especially the part about using acid-based removers?

CAUSE

1. When vehicles are transported from the manufacturer by rail, iron dust particles created by friction between train wheels and the track settle on the finish. When exposed to oxygen and moisture, this dust corrodes and become embedded in the finish.

REPAIR

1. Use a 30x magnifying glass to verify the presence of rail dust damage. Use caution when accessing damage to prevent scratching the paint surface.
2. Wash the vehicle with soap and water, rinse and dry.
3. Solvent clean with appropriate surface cleaner.
4. Use an acid based rail dust remover following manufacturer's directions.
5. Rinse with cold water then inspect the affected area to see if all particles have been removed. Repeat step #3 if necessary.
6. If the finish is pitted, sand with 1200 or finer grit sandpaper to remove damage, then compound and polish to restore gloss.*
7. Or, sand and refinish.

PREVENTION

1. Unfortunately, since this type of damage usually occurs during shipment or storage, little can be done to prevent its occurrence.

*When sanding and buffing a basecoat/clearcoat finish, a minimum film thickness of the clearcoat (2 mils) is required to maintain adequate ultraviolet protection. If correcting the damage will result in removing more than .5 mils, refinishing is recommended.

[Eddie6th]

Re: RailDust

If rails are travelled on all the time,there is no rust between the surface of the rail and the wheels.I think the problem could be when trains are travelling over rails that havn't been used for a while.I think this could be the case more in the states as there are much larger networks that travel for huge distances.

[miahjohn]

Re: RailDust

An acid bath does work wonders. My question is..what effect does an acid cleaner have on the clear coat? does it remove any clear?

[Superior Shine]

Re: RailDust

An acid bath does work wonders. My question is..what effect does an acid cleaner have on the clear coat? does it remove any clear?

I have used "baths" that specifically address rail dust. They are safe for the paint /clear coat. It is the plastic and rubber trim that you need to be cautious with.

[miahjohn]

Re: RailDust

I have used "baths" that specifically address rail dust. They are safe for the paint /clear coat. It is the plastic and rubber trim that you need to be cautious with.

True that! I've ruined a few plastics in my day!!

[Superior Shine]

Re: RailDust

Welcome to my world -LOL

Live and learn.