Maybe the headline should have been: Trick or Treat?

Any discussion that brings clarity to matters and have advice, tips, solutions etc is always welcome.

Okay. Went to youtube, typed in: Märklin clean dirt tracks -> top result Marklinofsweden: No more track cleaning - problem solved.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0olM5Zq1zlY
He's a sensible Swede, lots of talk about the tracks, not about the studs or the pickup shoe. The final solution is at about 14:40: Run your trains often and use a wooden block!

Oh forgot some smileys. Here you go:

Any metal with different components put together will cause problems, for instance you cant weld stainless steel and steel together without leaving a dark mark., your common problem is oxidation and humidity., none will happen if your layout is in a dry invironment.
another example is when I use ball bearings, the armature sits within the ball bearing and there is no movement and the inner and outer ball bearing is made of the same metal, the ball bearing its self sits within the motor block.

for instance some manufacturers use stainless steel pick up shoes which are not ideal with metal pukos., a,) stainless steel is not the prefered electrical conductor and it leaves arcing spots on the slider.,
I don't think this topic is pointless but the way it was created "true or false" leaves some questions about its true valuation.

I think one has to know or be aware what metal does when it comes into contact with air, salt water, moisture, humidity and other metal components.

John

I think he should try gold pukos, after all they are the items that are corroding ...

That's just like Yin and Yang - Antimarklinofsweden and Marklinofsweden

Per.