color codes for silver vs metal ?

[Steffen]

that's what I anyway do: never apply a rule just because it's a rule.

However, what I've been asking here is not exactly that,
but instead if we should apply the above table.

For this I need a definitive "yes" or "no" from preferredly both you and Chris
before I'd like to proceed.

The decision will affect e.g. the 12V train parts here:
http://www.ldraw.org/cgi-bin/ptreviewsum...intrack12v

and the battery boxes here:
http://www.ldraw.org/cgi-bin/ptreviewsum...tteryboxes

, and maybe some more files currently using color 383 or 494.