Evapo Rust to clean trains

Hi Mike,

I used Evapo Rust to clean some really nasty classic Lionel tubular track several years ago.  Soaked them in batches overnight. Did not apply anything to the tracks afterwards.  A word of caution: too long in the solution will also remove some of the black paint on the ties.  Not sure if that's an issue.

Michael

@Mike M posted:

I used Evapo Rust to clean up wheel sets from a few cars I recently picked up. They had a good bit of surface rust. It did a great job removing the rust.  What I’m looking for now is if anyone that has done this before used anything to coat the now rust free items (WD 40, CRC Cleaner, etc), or just left them as-is.

I’m also soaking some old rusty track to see how they will turn out.

Overall, really impressed with Evapo Rust.

Last time I cleaned up some really nasty wheels I attached a small rotary wire brush to a rotary tool and let them spin while the brush cleaned them like new.

John

I used Evapo-Rust to clean up a bunch of stuff that was submerged in the Sandy Floods for days and then left for several months in the salt water soaked boxes.  I rescued most of the cars and even some of the locomotives. The Lionel stuff had paint sheeting off it like paper, but the MTH paint hung in there virtually untouched by the salt water and Evapo-rust.

In an odd twist, I found out that Evapo-Rust will eat the K-Line freight car wheels.  They have a copper color, and apparently whatever they are made of, Evapo-Rust thinks they're rust.

Some of the wheels had a bit more rust than others. I let them soak a bit longer. And it took off the chemical coating. They look great and are rust free, but they are bare metal. I’m going to try to get them blackened again…

Has anyone used Evapo-Rust on Fastrack turnouts?   Of course Iʻd remove the electronics first.

Not sure what effect it would have on all the wiring.  I will admit, I used it on some power trucks, including the motors, they all survived the experience.  Those were so badly rusted from the Sandy salt water that I figured I had nothing to lose.

It definitely removes the rust, it removed it so well that there are chunks of ties and track missing on the areas that were pretty rusty. I guess it was more than just surface rust in some spots

NO OX ID A Special grease will improve electrical conductance of model train track, reduce sparking, eliminate track cleaning and it being a grease, will prevent rust. Rust after all is oxidation of steel.  A major use of NO OX has been in making electrical connections oxidation free for power line and phone wire connections since WW2.   It has been used for train track for over 50 years.

A complete detailed explanation of what of NO-OX-ID A Special is, its history and application instructions  may be found on the below OGR topic link

https://ogrforum.com/...7#159660139094824137

If this link has been deleted use Google or any search engine to find out about NO OX.

I have been using it on may layout since December 2021 with improved operation of my trains on used 027 track, with rust not being a problem.

Charlie

Success with using Evapo Rust on Fastrack.  Started with a 072 Wye that had some surface rust on the rails and the plastic was dis-colored with rusty water.  Not extreme but I didnʻt want to use it in that condition.

Disassembled taking photos and marking wires first - many very tiny screws.

Using a plastic tub bushed it on and scrubbed with a nylon brush.  Let sit for one hour, repeated.

Dabbed it up with paper towels, rinsed with water and immediately dried with air compressor - 60 PSI.

Came out pretty good, but still has an orange tinge.  Thinking abut trying a bleach solution on the plastic?

Bench tested good using track power - one down and six more switches to go, worth my retired time vs buying new ones at $100 each!

Will have to research best way to shine the rails without using anything too abrasive?

After cleaning with Evapo Rust is it necessary to apply a rust inhibitor if I plan to use NO OX on it?  If so, what inhibitor do you recommend?

I used CLP Break Free

NO OX is the rust inhibitor.  Being a grease like paraffin it will reduce contact with the oxygen and moisture n the air that that cause steel to rust.

Charlie

@Mike M posted:

Some of the wheels had a bit more rust than others. I let them soak a bit longer. And it took off the chemical coating. They look great and are rust free, but they are bare metal. I’m going to try to get them blackened again…

Look into Caswell Chemicals. They sell DIY cold black oxide kits that work very well. Especially for postwar steel wheels, etc, and even die cast parts like steam chests, pilot & trailing trucks too. Clean the parts in the usual way ( evapo rust, glass bead, etc, ) then follow the instructions on the Caswell kit. Only thing I add is to soak the blackened components in penetrating oil so the part soaks in those oils. This adds a factory look sheen, and aids in corrosion protection. If you have the ability to heat your parts slightly, ( heat gun, hot plate, etc, ) this really aids in allowing the penetrate to do the deed, ….being mindful of flammable penetrates of course,…..

Pat