Track/wheel/thumbwheel cleaner

The latest conciseness on the best track cleaner is mineral sprites, not as toxic, less smell and cheaper than most others.

Charlie

Well I had the last word again on a topic ( I seem to post and the topic dies) and never got to ask hiker 39 if he would like to never clean his track again by applying NO OX ID Special A conducting grease to his rail once and never have to clean track again.

Charlie

You sir are spamming just about all the post with your push for that product, I think we all know how you feel about it.

Choo choo Charlie. That sounds wonderful! I had not been up to may layout for most of the summer and when I went up the other day the engines were misbehaving badly and the track was really really dirty. Seemed impossible for newly laid FasTrack last spring.

hiker39

NO OX is worth a try and I know it worked for me.  I have had poor train operation and of my prewar 027 conventional control layout that was stored in garages and utility rooms for 10 months a year for 30 years.  I wish someone had told me about NO OX use to improve train operation and eliminate track cleaning by eliminating sparking between the track and train wheels.  NO OX has been used in other gauges since at least 1965.  It has had very little usage on O gauge trains and is relatively little posting on of its benefits.   A search of OGR forum will show maybe a couple of hits before 2022 when I and others tried it and reported our success with it.

My train operation has never been as good in 44 years since I applied NO OX.  The good train operation has resurrected my 2 trains on 1 track relayed systems.  I will see if it eliminates track cleaning forever but even if it does not make that lofty target I will keep it on my tracks and 31 switches for the great operation improvement.

Charlie

First used CRC safe for plastic some years back for old e-units and it works nice cleaning the drum and fingers but its not as cheap anymore.

Just bought a can the other day at HD it was around 9.00 also use it to on q-tips to clean wheels, also cleans old grease on gears works excellent for my needs happy to say.

I did buy a new wheel and bracket combo few months back from MTH as a spare just in case .

After reading OP may try it on remote thumb wheel but only when remote decides to act up in future its very old so who knows when.

My only concern is I've watched a couple you tube videos and read that no ox causes traction tire issues. And most modern Lionel and MTH uses traction tires instead of magnetraction. What would you recommend?

@hiker39 posted:

What would you recommend?

I think the method is to clean the track, wipe on the NO OX, and then wipe it off after 24 hours.

I've been using the CRC QD Cleaner for years on many different home, auto, and work electrical projects. Great product, I buy it by the case at Walmart.

hiker39

Check OGR forum posts for application methods.  Most recommend running engines before wiping NO OX off.  Do not do that with locos with traction tires only run them after wiping the NO OX off.  I do not have issues with my few locos with traction tires.

There is a lot of information floating out there about NO OX failing or not working adding to its lack of acceptance over the years.  It has been miss-applied for years and not worked for some, after all it is a grease and only very little is applied and that is then removed.  The grease title scares many off.  Check out the OGR link below

https://ogrforum.com/...rack-cleaning?page=1

Charlie