I hear that Northeast Trains in Peabody, MA makes a good one.

I own the CMX. It is well made and works well, relatively speaking.  I use it with acetone, as the entire car is metal and not susceptible to the acetone corrosiveness, which is a plus over some other cleaning cars.  

From a technical standpoint, however, I'm not sure why they (and some online reviewers) make a big deal about the weight of the car.  The only thing that matters in terms of the car's cleaning power is the the amount of downforce/friction it generates on the cleaning pads that rub along the rails.  But, the weight of the pad attachments has no relationship with the car's weight (the pads mount to free moving attachments that hang down from the car).  The pad attachments aren't feather light, but they do not (and by design, cannot) take advantage of the heavyweight car's weight.  Meaning, the car itself could weigh 1 oz. and these same pads would generate the same downforce/friction.

I actually prefer using a 1x3 with a tightly affixed microfiber rag over any cleaning car. Yes, this method is a PITA and the geometry (my arm holding one end while the cleaning pad is on the other end several feet away) limits downforce/friction, but this method still creates more downforce/friction and cleans better than any of these cars. 

Check out the Track Cleaner here.

Railtycoon.com

leaner here.

I bought a track cleaning car a few years ago and use it only where I can't reach the track by hand. The cleaning car I have doesn't do the greatest job and needs 2 Williams powered "SD-45's" to move it around the layout.

Lee Fritz

Why not consider making one? Searching this site for Track Cleaning cars yields lots of threads with interesting ideas. I used a flat car, drove a screw through and rubber-banded some wooden blocks to its deck,  and stuck a 'scotch-brite' type pad on the screw point between the trucks. It works nicely!

3 rail. Extra rollers and case. Used. $80.00 + $10.00 shipping.          THE ONE THAT WORKS

NCT posted:

3 rail. Extra rollers and case. Used. $80.00 + $10.00 shipping.          THE ONE THAT WORKS

Curious - how does this car work for you? I purposely avoided cleaning cars with rollers based on the experience of several other folks. Basically, if I want to clean crud off a plate, I wouldn't use a painting roller, I'd use a pad and scrub.

I have one by MNP it has 2 small powerful motors that clean the track without any type of fluid I run it on my layout at least once or twice a week. He now is working with MTH for the cars to use I have a weaver one

It would be best to use the search function on track cleaning.  There are several past threads on the subject, the ones below are just from the first half of the page.

Cleaning tubular track

Homemade track cleaning car

question involving pre war loco and cleaning track

Yet another track cleaning question

Best inexpensive track cleaning car?

Calling All Operators, Track Cleaning Cars

AZTEC TS1181 TRACK CLEANING CAR

cleaning your track. best ways?

to name but a few on the first page.  I strongly prefer the "scotchbrite" pad variety cleaning car that allows you to change the amount of pressure applied to the track.  If you choose one that uses cotton pads or rollers be sure to look into getting replacement pads/rollers and the cost.  Making a track cleaning car yourself is fairly easy with a junker gondola car and some weights, or you can just use the 3927 Lionel postwar track cleaning car.

https://ogrforum.com/t...96#62528537398493996

and

https://ogrforum.com/t...23#63936244997121323

HUGE TIP from former OGR Forum Member LW: "Do not use simple green on Fast track, it will eat the plastic up from the ties and roadbead."

PJB posted:

NCT posted:

3 rail. Extra rollers and case. Used. $80.00 + $10.00 shipping.          THE ONE THAT WORKS

Curious - how does this car work for you? I purposely avoided cleaning cars with rollers based on the experience of several other folks. Basically, if I want to clean crud off a plate, I wouldn't use a painting roller, I'd use a pad and scrub.

I got this car at a pretty fair price years ago. I agree that rolling denatured alcohol on track alone does not necessarily clean the track.  The rollers can be filled with pennys, nuts, bolts or screws to weight the roller with the idea that it will roll at a slower pace than it normally would and thus scrub the rails clean. Nothing beats elbow grease if you can reach all the track, whether you use a bright boy eraser; cloth or scothbrite pad dampened with alcohol or other such cures.

I clean all the track I can reach with small rags and alcohol for deep cleaning.  For the hard to reach areas I use this track cleaner car and it works for me . Here are some hints fwiw. I first run it with the roller soaked in alcohol to losen the dirt. Then I come back with a piece of brit pad jammed between the frame of the car and the soaked roller so that the roller and edge of the brite pad scrape along the track. I run it at a moderate speed. When my entire layout becomes operational after scenic projects, I will run this car more often.  

Track Cleaning Cars - Get one or better yet build one.

A pair of old trucks and some sawed up mini paint rollers.  Center Line design body made from

wood and aluminum flashing epoxied in for endurance.  Cost less than $5 for mini paint rollers.

Charlie

nice job choo choo.

Pennsynut,   I, too, use the Center Line Rail Cleaner, and like the way it works.  Yes, you can add weight to the roller, and it does make a difference.  I have used denatured alcohol, Goo Gone, etc. to clean my track after I rubbed it down with a Scotch Bright Pad.  And, yes, I have affixed the same Scotch Bright Pad and fine grit sand paper under the roller to reach inside tunnels and other hard-to-reach areas, then the saturated roller to clean.  And, I have reused many pads, still do, as they are washable and totally reusable.   Not so much as before, but I do have a Lionel 3927 to pull around my layout(s) with a scrub pad rotating underneath to clean the track, followed by the wipe pad.  But, the wipe pads are getting harder to acquire, even with the reproductions.

Clean rails and tight electrical connections...... like love and marriage...... make your engines run best.

Jesse      TCA   12-68275