How Do You Clean Tubular Track Tube ID?

The track doesn't look that bad. A few thoughts:

* In addition to mechanical cleaning, have you tried chemical cleaning? I'd suggest a contact cleaner like CRC 2-26

* Are you sure the conductivity issues are related to corrosion? I'd recommend looking at the shape of the rails and see if they are spayed out to far to make a good tight connection. Search the internet auction site  for Lionel Track Pliers and select the O/STD gauge ones (not O-27). They can reform the track and crimp pins for the ultimate tight fit.

* It isn't uncommon to find better performance with lockons every few feet of track. Your post seems to show two which should be sufficient for that setup, but worth keeping in mind as you expand your empire.

IMHO, if there is no rust (and, if there is, don't use that section at all) and the tube part of the track is tight, just inserting a clean pin should be all you need. If you really want to clean the inside, try a "rat-tail" file.

Two lock-ons, one on each side of your loop, should be enough for the layout you depicted.  Use 16 or 18 gauge wire, not thin "bell" wire

The track should require some effort to connect together, and they should not come apart easily.  I'd check the fit of the track and pins and make sure you have a reasonable mechanical connection between sections of track.  You might need to use a pair of pliers and tighten the ends of the track where the pins are inserted.  I've never heard of having to clean the inside of the tubular track. It's certainly possible, but I'd check the tightness first.

Dale

https://www.mcmaster.com/power-brushes

Pennsylover posted:

……..  You might need to use a pair of pliers and tighten the ends of the track where the pins are inserted.  …….

Dale

To do this pinch the web under the tubular part of the trach with "cutting" plyers. 

FlyPlanes-PlayTrains posted:

https://www.mcmaster.com/power-brushes

This is the method, I recommend the SS brushes.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

FlyPlanes-PlayTrains posted:

https://www.mcmaster.com/power-brushes

This is the method, I recommend the SS brushes.

This is what I did to some old tubular years ago. Came out bright and shiny. Also found a set at a flea mat in pa that had different sizes but only 1 size fit but worked well also

Thanks guys.  I ordered some brushes from McMaster-Carr and a pair of track pliers.

have a few needle files, a few swipes work well, then straighten up the end with a pair of dykes. Apparently unlike some posters, I cannot afford to discard a piece of track because it is dirty

I actually like metal work, but know I can have a loop of new metal from Menards for about $50-ish.

That's a tough call for my dime too. But you'll often spend as much in time, wire brushes, clean up and soap to at least think hard before you clean the more questionable pieces. Nothing runs um like new metal; smooth and responsive. And fyi, most of my track is over 50years old. About 30% prewar and 10% new.

Stainless is fairly hard and will speed the removal of rust from softer steels; brass is for surfaces that are machined or finished; less host metal is sacrificed with softer brass brushes; not really a concern inside a sheet metal tube.

Clean those wheels, brushes and armature plates yet? Dirty inside, it may want much more power than cleaned.

Electrolysis using soda, water, and a battery charger is another option, but I'm not sure how well track plating survives it; just that it cleans bulk easily.

The CRC is best for a final spray cleaning because of protecting additions, and penetrating oils the best to start with, but WD-40 makes for a cheaper non-stink rinse while working rust away.

Putting dirty track in the dishwasher is a good way to start too, of course I am single and live alone so no consequences.  

Just a thought, maybe try a length of suitable-sized steel cable chucked up in a reversible drill.  You will want reversible so you can run the drill in the direction where the cable won't un-twist itself while spinning inside the tubular rail.

Adriatic posted:

I actually like metal work, but know I can have a loop of new metal from Menards for about $50-ish.

That's a tough call for my dime too. But you'll often spend as much in time, wire brushes, clean up and soap to at least think hard before you clean the more questionable pieces. Nothing runs um like new metal; smooth and responsive. And fyi, most of my track is over 50years old. About 30% prewar and 10% new.

I plan to get some Menards track to expand the layout, but I like to know that things that are even older than me can still be useful so, I will clean up the old track too.

beardog49 posted:

Putting dirty track in the dishwasher is a good way to start too, of course I am single and live alone so no consequences.  

I think the main consequence of putting it through the dishwasher would be rusty track.

I have done it several times, no rust problem, try at your own risk

beardog49 posted:

I have done it several times, no rust problem, try at your own risk

What kind of track?  Stainless?  Nickel silver?

With 85 year old tubular O gauge, the plating is gone and a trip through the dishwasher would spell disaster.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

FlyPlanes-PlayTrains posted:

https://www.mcmaster.com/power-brushes

This is the method, I recommend the SS brushes.

What size diameter brush are you using?

I have a small round tapered file that will go at least 1/2 inch inside the track.

Also there are small drill like Dremel bur bits that will fit inside the rail.

Charlie

I have cleaned a lot of track in the dishwasher. Set the drying cycle to heat and after its is done shake out any remaining water. I have had no rusting problem with the track I have done so far.

Also check out Tinman3rail for stainless steel pins he is offering along with used pins also. He even has tools to repair and tighten the ties and pliers for the track!

https://www.tinman3rail.com/?page_id=267

When I was ten (1957) I was on a mission to buy or trade for all the trains in the neighborhood. In my quest I ended up with a lot of rusty track. The outside was easy enough with a wire brush or wire wheel on dad's bench grinder. He had a very fine wire wheel that did a great job on the outside however the inside of the rails was a bit more trouble and I came up with a couple of kid solutions that still work fairly well.   One was to find a machine screw at least two inches long that was a snug fit if you tried to screw it into the end of the rail.  Dad had an unusual drill which turned at over 4000 rpm. I would cut the head off the screw and chuck it into the drill, hold a file against the end to put a slight taper on it so the screw end was smaller than the hole in the rail.  Find a screw that  spreads the web of the rail about half a mm as it screws in. I don't think I knew what a mm was at the time.  Once the end of the screw is tapered put the end of the screw against the hole in the end of the rail turn the drill on and push the screw in and let it spin for a few seconds. Pull the screw out with the drill still spinning.  A nut on the screw against the chuck is good to keep the jaws of the chuck from grabbing on the end of the rail. It's convenient to hold the track on a bench and let the end overhang.  Something I never hear people talk about when cleaning old rusty track is that the insulation paper on the center rail can be permeated with rust and cause high resistance shorts. Back then I would cut up milk cartons to replace the factory insulator.  Anyway, the screw in a drill trick will leave the inside end of the rail shiny as a new dime.  I have several other solutions like using a nail instead of a screw if you put a few nicks in the side of the nail it will work just not as well as a screw.  Small gauge wire cable works well. 3/32" cable will slide through O-27 and O gauge rails.  Cut off about two inches,  dip about 1/2 inch of one end in tinning acid and flow solder over that end to keep it from deforming in the drill chuck. Take the other end and beat it with a hammer against a brick till it is frayed a bit.  With the pins out of the rail ends push it through the rail, soldered end first, with a piece of piano wire once you have it through with an inch or so showing chuck it in the drill and let it spin. The screw is easier to use but they wear out and you have to get a new screw the wire cable lasts forever.  You just have to beat the end with a hammer when it stops cleaning.  Your actually making a small wire brush.                       j

I got an assortment of brushes.  Stainless .109”, brass .109”, stainless .12” and brass.12”.  Also got a set of track pliers.

Started with a semicircle.  I measured resistance before cleaning the ID.  Most section joints had 0 ohms so I left them alone.  Two adjacent sections (where locos would stall) had resistance of 200 ohms on one of the center rail joints, .4 ohms on the other center joint, 4.3 ohms on one of the outer rail joints and .2 ohms on the other.

 I used a .109” brass brush by hand on one section.  For the other (with oversized IDs) I used a .012” brass brush mounted in a drill for a few seconds.  After reassembly (and before crimping the oversized IDs) resistance went to zero.

 For the rest of the track, I used a .012” stainless brush in a drill.  Also crimped any track that looked loose.

The trains run well now with just one lock-on connected.

 If anyone is interested in trying this, I recommend a .12” brush if you are using a drill.  If you plan do it by hand, I would go with a .109” brush since the .12” brush is difficult to remove by hand from a properly sized ID.  I would also recommend stainless bristles since I think they will last longer than brass.

Solder every section together.  All three rails.  End of problem.   Rob

Thanks for a lot of good suggestions/ideas. I will go to work!

I've been using tubular track for 40 years I'd guess.  Sorry to ask this but I've never heard the term/abbreviation before: what it a "track ID"?

thanks - walt

walt rapp posted:

I've been using tubular track for 40 years I'd guess.  Sorry to ask this but I've never heard the term/abbreviation before: what it a "track ID"?

thanks - walt

Inside Diameter