I need help in restoring the Lionel 3927 Track Cleaning Car...Please

[bfskinner]

Running it "dry" sounds like a good plan in this case, although you might miss out on the charming blue and yellow color-show when the alcohol ignites and the layout goes up in smoke....

By the way, it doesn't work too well "dry," but do select a non-flamable cleaning liquid. 

 

[Jim Duda]

I'm happy to report the double sided tape securely holds the scrubber pad!  The "sweet spot" for this car seemed to be supplying 14 volts to the track and pushing the Cleaning Car at 5 - 7 SMPH.  Now the track is nice and clean for any Holiday visitors...(wink)

 

 

 

[Jim Duda]

 My intention is to make a new circular pad that fits on the spinning disc from a GREEN Scotchbrite pad available at your favorite grocery store(s).  Attach it with Shoe-Goo, Goop, Silicone sealant, etc.,...I might even try double sided tape.  You might have to use two thicknesses of the Scotchbrite pad so it maintains pressure on the track - weight it down if necessary.  (I'm planning on running mine dry to avoid slinging chemicals all over the scenery.)

Many use DENATURED alcohol, Goo-Gone, Rail-Zip, etc., as a cleaning fluid.  Since I don't have the instructions I believe the purpose of the cylindrical pad is to wipe off the solvent you choose to use.  I'll report back and give you my impressions after I make up some scouring pads...

With a Command loco you can crank up the track voltage to get the desired RPM from the Cleaning Car disc motor while maintaining a crawl to allow the scrubber to do it's work.  Maybe that's why they weren't too effective "back in the day" because the track voltage controlled the spinning motor's speed/power and the loco's speed...

Foam disks with adhesive backing and the wiping pads are available from your favorite auction site and/or from a train parts supplier.

 

[runtime]

While we're at it: does anyone actually use one of these to clean their track? And if so what do you use for a fluid and where can I get mor e wiping pads. I have one of these but have not had it out of the box in several decades.

runtime

[dwiemer]

Jim, thanks for asking a timely question.  I just won one of these a few weeks back for $20 at auction.  Will have to do a service and I also need to order the wipers.  Also, thanks Rob for the explanation.

Dennis

[Jim Duda]

 Rob - You da man!  Thanks for the detailed and very clear explanation!  You're right - it still sounds like a coffee grinder...but it is noticeably quieter.

 Thanks again!

 

 

[ADCX Rob]

Jim Duda

 This ol' girl needs to be taken apart and restored.  The motor works fine (even has that redolent smell of the 50's!)  I have ordered the front wiper assembly from Jeff Kane so restoring that should be no problem.

 But I am stumped on how to remove the motor and the aluminum housing from the deck of the car.  If someone could scan the instructions and e-mail them to me I would be grateful!  [e-mail]

 Thanks all

 

 

This one is ingenious.  Those two screws are threaded into hex-head screws which hold down the field laminations &  aluminum railing assembly(which in turn are staked together).  Remove the brush plate, back out those two screws, & swivel the entire assembly clockwise 90 degrees about the wire to the pickup roller.  You now have full access to the spur gear train for lubrication.

I went through my track cleaner cars last year as it was 25-30 years or more since they had been serviced at all.  They sound enough like coffee grinders even when they have been lubed!

Rob

[rtraincollector]

If you call jeff back bet he can tell you

[Jim Duda]

 This ol' girl needs to be taken apart and restored.  The motor works fine (even has that redolent smell of the 50's!)  I have ordered the front wiper assembly from Jeff Kane so restoring that should be no problem.

 But I am stumped on how to remove the motor and the aluminum housing from the deck of the car.  If someone could scan the instructions and e-mail them to me I would be grateful!  [e-mail]

 Thanks all