Is this rubber or something else? All over the track there are black spots
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Not a lot of go on. Got pictures? Is it constant - a long smudge along the whole rail, or crusty spots maybe a 1/4 inch long in places? Have you used something non-standard to clean track or wheels of locos?
I am seeing the same effect. It feels partly like rubber from the traction tires, but that is subjective and not definitive. But also I am running a huge amount of smoke at present.
It easily cleans with WD-40 on paper towels with light rubbing.
Stop spinning your tires!! 
That's scale poop from the toilets in your passenger cars. Today's model trains are very prototypical. 
You didn't have any of this in front of your passenger station did you?
Scott Smith
Did you just clean the track in the past few days? I had a problem when I used Goo Gone to clean my track. Then I read the bottle "Do not use on rubber"
Sounds like the track needs to be cleaned. A track cleaning car will maintain the cleanliness.
To clean, by hand, here are some simple steps:
- Go to Home Depot
- Get a can of Denatured Alcohol.
- Get a lint free or low lint cloth.
- Pour some denatured alcohol on it - jump dampen cloth
- Wipe on track with a little elbow grease.
- Wipe off areas in sections
- As sections are completed, wipe with clean cloth.
- Reapply if needed.
Careful - denatured alcohol is toxic, so take precautions. Just like any chemical, use common sense.
That is a good one!
Originally Posted by scott.smith:
That's scale poop from the toilets in your passenger cars. Today's model trains are very prototypical. You didn't have any of this in front of your passenger station did you?
Scott Smith
