I'm throwing this out there; what is the best track cleaning car?
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Mr Union Pacific posted:I'm throwing this out there; what is the best track cleaning car?
Not in my opinion. I have found that physical labor/elbow-grease works the best for cleaning track. I use a red cotton shop rag, moistened with denatured alcohol (or sometimes lacquer thinner), wrapped around a piece of 1"X2" wood, about 4" long. Works every time.
Yep, that sounds like what I do. I was just curious if there was a car that really worked maybe for a once a week run around to maintain cleanliness.
I also find that the best track cleaning method is by hand. However, I use paper towels wet with rubbing alcohol because the track has plastic parts. For stubborn spots, I use 220 grit abrasive paper. Run the track cleaner in the sketch below regularly to maintain your track in a relatively clean state.
I did make one change to the track cleaning gondola by putting a sheet metal screw down through the center of its body to assure the cleaning pad stays in place. By the way, this track cleaning car ready-to-run cost less than $10 including the Lionel gondola I bought for $5 at a train show. I weight mine with scraps of wire, but you can use pennies, nuts & bolts, BBs, etc.
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I run this track cleaning car around the entire layout once a week, or more often, if I am running a lot. I try to do the yard tracks and spurs once a month. I used to use denatured alcohol on the front pad and leave the trailing pad dry, but I have more recently had good results with Ronsonol lighter fluid on the leading pad.
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These are no longer available but you could make one quite easily. Quick and easy, works like a champ.
Laidoffsick,
That was an outstanding video, I believe I can make one of those.
Number 90 posted:I run this track cleaning car around the entire layout once a week, or more often, if I am running a lot. I try to do the yard tracks and spurs once a month. I used to use denatured alcohol on the front pad and leave the trailing pad dry, but I have more recently had good results with Ronsonol lighter fluid on the leading pad.
Thanks for posting that, regardless of the subject matter. Was cool seeing a part of your layout and then have the engine's headlight appear from out behind the sitting freight cars.
Number 90 posted:I run this track cleaning car around the entire layout once a week, or more often, if I am running a lot. I try to do the yard tracks and spurs once a month. I used to use denatured alcohol on the front pad and leave the trailing pad dry, but I have more recently had good results with Ronsonol lighter fluid on the leading pad.
Ronsonol is a great solvent. My mother-in-law taught has used it for years for stubborn stains, including ink. I always keep a bottle around.
I used to use denatured alcohol on the front pad and leave the trailing pad dry, but I have more recently had good results with Ronsonol lighter fluid on the leading pad.
Yes - petroleum products like lighter fluid (I find mineral spirits to be my Universal Cleaning Fluid) work best on cleaning up petroleum products like oil, in which most of the "dirt" on a model RR track is bound. Plus, petroleum inhibits rust on steel track, and alcohol does not.
But, elbow grease, even with a plain rag, is always a cleaning "compound", and preferablere for track you can reach; also, plain wooden or masonite blocks on springs under a die-cast car will get most of it.
The 0-5-0 switcher: the human hand!
This is mine, an oldie but it works just fine.....
Paul
The G&O garden railroad uses the track cleaning car made by Northeast Trains. The layout is too big and too inaccessible to clean the track by hand. This car does an excellent job. We wash the pads when they become dirty and reuse them.
NH Joe
Paul, that looks like a scotch bright pad?
I'd like to see a track-vacuum car that pulls up loose material like they have for HO
if i knew the electronics i think i could design the car and print the car with a 3D printer The mechanical components are not that complicated.
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Mr Union Pacific posted:Paul, that looks like a scotch bright pad?
Yes they are, the first one is wet with denatured alcohol and the second one is dry and both are followed by the track cleaning car. Nothing works as well as good old fashioned elbow grease but this does a pretty good job as long as you keep up with it and not let the track get too gunked up.
Paul
I find mineral spirits, clean rag and plenty of elbow grease. The best track cleaner!
Acetone- T-shirt works for me
Brent
Macaroni posted:I find mineral spirits, clean rag and plenty of elbow grease. The best track cleaner!
Do you have DCS control on your layout? I have found mineral spirits tends to leave a film behind, even after drying, and DCS generally doesn't like THAT.
I tried Windex on a rag and it worked really well!
Jim
Windex? I'll have to try that.
Mr Union Pacific posted:Windex? I'll have to try that.
Again,,,,,,,,if one is using DCS command control, be VERY careful what you "clean" your track with. Any sort of film remaining on the rails could negatively effect DCS operations. Been there,,,,,,done that!
Thus I stick with what works, over, and over, and over! Denatured alcohol and/or lacquer thinner.
Word to the wise as they say. I am Mr. DCS all the way. I have used alcohol, but I have not used lacquer thinner yet. I will stop by Lowes and get some lacquer thinner this evening and give that a go.
If you use Denatured alcohol or what Doug uses everything should be okay. The only issue that SD3R has right now is the track is 15 years old and once in a while we have to do a super clean.
Our track cleaning cars are the best buy in the Industry.
Thanks
Pat
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