Anyone with an opinion of or experience with Trackman2000?

They are an excellent cleaning tool, properly adjust.  As provided you could purchase different cleaning pads.  Most pads could be cleaned and used over, kind of a scotchbrite abrasive pad. IMO these pads could be fabricated. There are (4) push-pins that attach the cleaning pad to the car.    Once over the main lines of your layout before use, easily cleaned dust and some traction tire residue that could be troublesome. 

Additional information added 2/4/13. 

There were two different types of pads.   The abrasive pad, mentioned, and a soft felt pad. I have spares of both.

Instructions as follow:

Instructions on Adjusting Pad Pressure.

(1.) Press down on short articulating bar just behind adjusting wheel.

(2.) Turn nylon wheel clockwise to decrease pressure and counter clockwise to increase pressure. 

(3.) Use the red index line to count the number of turns in either direction. Repeat the process at opposite end of the unit for a uniform pressure across the pad block. 

(4.) If block gets out of level adjustment, place unit on flat surface and adjust until block is horizontal to surface. 

PAD REPLACEMENT

(5.) Remove the nylon plugs that hold the pad in place by grasping the pad (end edge) at the plug(s) and pulling away from the block.  This will loosen the plug enough to allow you to remove the plug by grasping it with your finger (nails) and pulling it out of the block.  Pads can be used on both sides.

(6.) To install new pad push plugs into the pad and push plug into hole in the block.    

I always had better luck pushing it.  It worked well with my Atlas track that has a flat top profile.

The Trackman is way overpriced at $140.00!! It was made by MTH for Trackman Company out of Temple PA 19560.

You could easily make a track cleaner car for only a few dollars, take an old flat car and convert it to a track cleaning car.

The Trackman has a scouring pad on the bottom of it, needs two powered diesel engines depending on how you set the level of cleaning.

Lee F.

I have had one since they first came out, I guess in 2000.

I have talked with Henry a few times about the car.  Some things that I learned:

1. The pad is NOT Scotch Brite - he said, and I can agree, that Scotch Brite pads can snag.  His is a different, and possibly patented?, pad.

2. Luckily I bought a 4-pack of extra pads when he was still in busniness.

3. I have NEVER needed 2 engines to pull it.

4. Even though I have extra pads, I have never needed to use any.  I just clean off the one that's on it and it keeps working.  But then, remember, I only have a Christmas layout and only use the car maybe 10 times a season.  But I do have a ton of track considering it's seasonal.

5. I was having a lot, and I mean constant, problems with the pad not re-centering after coming out of curves.  I also had problems with it derailing too because the non-centered pad caused one of the trucks to lift too easily off the rail.  got to the point that I was hesitant to use it.  Henry suggested that I send it to him and he'd take a look at it.  Apparently a part was redesigned and I have the older version. He fixed something but I don't recall what - but no matter, it didn't help.

6. Once I discovered this trick, the car has performed flawlessly and perfectly.  I found out by testing various options that all that I had to do was couple up an MTH box car to the back of the Trackman car and all of the problems listed in #5 were solved!  Pad re-centers perfectly and no more derailments.

7. I think I paid $100.

- walt

I have one and it works fine except for the derailing issued described in the previous post.  I will try the fix to see if it works.  $140 is way too much for a $90 new item from 10 years ago.  There was a post in the forum about making one using a single truck car.  I think that is the way to go.

I have one, but generally PUSH it around the layout, that way the locomotive is always running on cleaned rails.

We have one in our "track cleaning train" which has a couple of other track cleaning cars in it and is pulled by our old conventional F units before doing a running session.  Works pretty well.

I'm very pleased with it - I bought mine at York a few years ago for $110.  Previous to that I called the company and they said they had a bad fire in their building - that's why they were not being made for a while.  The Hobby Shop in Aberdeen NJ has them priced at $119 or $129.  

6. Once I discovered this trick, the car has performed flawlessly and perfectly.  I found out by testing various options that all that I had to do was couple up an MTH box car to the back of the Trackman car and all of the problems listed in #5 were solved!  Pad re-centers perfectly and no more derailments.

Thanx for the "trick" Walt - mine derails and goes off center too - I'll try the ole boxcar add on!!

I like the pads but don't have the car.  I use them on my homemade track cleaning car and they work great.  They are a little thinner that Scotch Brite Pads which allows more room for my spring action.

.....

Dennis

Mike CT: Thanks for posting the instructions, which I downloaded and printed out. I got one of those secondhand and didn't have an instruction sheet. It's pretty intuitive, but it never hurts to RTFM. 

The Trackman 2000 does a decent job of cleaning the rails.  However I find that for my small layout, it is easier to just clean them by hand. 

The drawback to all track cleaning cars is they don't work well in yards with dead ends.  You have to keep reversing directions to clean the track and some track cleaning cars (like the Trackman 2000) don't like to be run in reverse.

Earl

 I sure like mine! Great at train shows and at home on the layout. Best one IMO. Al

I like mine because it works.  I have had no problems with derailments.  I think that the Trackman is the best cleaning car out there and it does a great job on my Atlas track.  I think that $140 is pretty steep!

Norm

Are any pads available which work as well as the originals? 

I have had mine for a number of years, it is custom painted for the DL&W.  I have a combination of atlas and tubular.  Half of the layout track is inaccessible.  I have experimented with different pads.  I settled on making pads from foam sandpaper pads.  I tried a couple of scouring pads, but the ones I used had particles come off which were picked up by the speakers magnet.  All in all if used regularly the track will be in great condition.  Actually I have been thinking of getting a second one and modifying it so that one pad can be wet and the other a dry pad.  I say worth every penny.