Denatured Alcohol and rust on Gargrave track

Exactly the reason I went with Atlas O 21st Century SOLID NICKEL SILVER rail. Having previously been an HO modeler, as soon as nickel silver rail became available, we quit using brass rail. Since my upstairs layout tends to get dust on the track, due to the open windows in the nice months, I use either Lacquer Thinner or Denatured Alcohol to remove the dust on the rail heads, plus still provide a good DCS & Legacy signal.

Just adding my two cents:  I use WD-40 sprayed on a paper towel to clean the track, and try to leave a bit of the oil on the rails.   I am using Fastrack, and I clean it perhaps every 8 months.  The oil film seems to protect the track some, and the very light penetrating oil readily lifts dirt/gunk.  The paper towels are abrasive enough to clean off the dirt, but don't seem to scratch the rails.   I have been doing this now for five+ years, no problems with traction tires so far.   And no problems with Fastrack rust spots or removing the top shine from the track.   And I haven't had to clean the wheels or 3rd-rail pickups, they stay clean.  I let the trains run while cleaning, perhaps that helps to clean the wheels and loosen the gunk.   I do feel fortunate this has been working so well for me - I get to spend more time running trains.   -Ken

Could what you are seeing on the track not be rust, but a corrosion? I looked on the web for the MSDS, "http://www.wmbarr.com/ProductF...%204%2015%202013.pdf" and in the formulation is

"Acetic acid, ethyl ester {Ethyl acetate} 141-78-6 0.5 -1.5 %"

This can corrode soft metals such as brass, copper, zinc, tin, etc. Not likely to be enough to eat through the tin but certainly enough to form sufficient surface corrosion to interfere with the current. In that case abrasives may be the only way to remove it.

In my opinion the bottom line is that Isopropyl alcohol  at 92% or higher should be used for cleaning tracks. To avoid getting stuff with other chemicals added don't buy products labeled rubbing alcohol.

Like Martin said acetone is way to flammable and hazardous to be using as a cleaner on your railroad.

just my 2 cents

Who's to say that using Acetone doesn't result in rust by cleaning the oils off the track.  It certainly seems that unprotected steel will rust faster than steel with oil coating.

 

 Yes, but where do you find the stuff better than 91% nowadays?  None of the local stores carry it anymore.  I used to buy 99%, but I haven't been able to find that in several years.

 

as I said before we use denatured alcohol all the time to clean track at NJHR, MILES of track with NO rust. the problem seems to be isolated to the original poster, so this discussion of the merits or composition of alcohol has not helped him at all. why are we still discussing alcohol, why??

Why do people use such hazardous materials to perform such an easy task like cleaning track? Acetone? Denatured alcohol? Lacquer thinner? Complete overkill for cleaning some minor oil and crud off of steel rails. It always amuses me when I read these things.

My mistake John, you are correct.

Are you operating with DCS? What then do you use to clean your track?

I remember being a born again train guy just a few short years ago. I also remember looking up track cleaning threads here. 

 

Scared and confused the heck out of me.

 

If your new to the hobby don't get overwhelmed by track cleaning. I run DCS and Legacy and if properly installed track cleaning is not that big an issue. IMHO. 

 

I settled in on 91% Isopropyl and it has worked for me as has the softer Scotch Brite pads. 

I was leaning toward the dry Scotchbrite method. Till I recently learned that scratching tinplate actually increases the rate of rusting of the steel. The tinplate is a protective and not a sacrificial coating like galvy. The exposed steel/ iron becomes the sacrifice. And it takes both water and air to cause rusting. So if you have pitted or scratched tinplate track and you continue to scratch it or remove all traces of protective oils with solvents, than it will keep on rusting. Only worse. The center rail of Gargraves track is tinplate. Probably what is happening.

I agree.

For the alcoholics in the room....

 

 

I have used a DCS layout, it it can be very picky about its signal both from mechanical (dirty track) to electrical (Star wiring, having lighted cars and or lock-ons....).

 

Now I do use 91% iso alchol on my tracl.  To see if it is clean, I run a Marx 666 after the stuff dries.  If I get no sparking on the wheels and the third rail slider, I have clean track.

 

And yes, Windex does have ammonia in it.