dirty tracks

[bmw330i2005]

What is the best way to clean your tracks from dirt and other stuff. 

[lionelsoni]

I use Scotch Brite.

[Taranwanderer]

To expand on Bob's suggestion:  our club recently bought two old Lionel 3927 track cleaning cars, and I removed the arbor and sponge on the bottom, replaced the sponge with a round piece of Scotch Brite, and replaced the rear "wiper" with a coupler.  Turn the car on, pull it around the layout with your selected engine, and you've got a cleaning dynamo.  I also bought a "Trackman 2000" track cleaner a few years ago that also uses the Scotch Brite, but it doesn't spin like the 3927 does, so I just rigged up a cloth under the Trackman that I soak in alcohol.  Pull that behind the 3927 and things get squeaky clean.

[charlesp54]

First I wipe the track down with the Scotch Brite pad then pass a cotton rag "wet" with denatured alcohol and that gets my track clean and bright.

[Seayakbill]

I use  the green scotch-brite pad, denatured alcohol, and lots of elbow greese.

[laz 57]

Same here denatured alchol and scotchbrite pad.

laz57

[kgstones]

Clean all your wheels too.  Dirty track = dirty wheels = same problems.

Mickey

[Dobson]

I used a scotch brite product recently that was labeled. Scotch Brite Metal.  It said on the packaget that it is used to remove rust and it worked like a champ on the oxidation on my tracks.  Not much elbow grease.  After using that I ran a shop vac over the pieces to pull off the particles and then I used a rag  with track clean.

[lionelsoni]

I haven't seen this and don't know just how aggressive it is.  But beware of anything that can remove metal from the track.  If you remove the tin plating, the rails will be clean immediately but will soon rust.  If you remove steel, whether because you have already removed the tin or because it has worn away, there is a risk of getting particles (perhaps missed by the vacuum cleaner) into the magnetic parts of your locomotives.

[Tootle]

One thing that's usually mentioned but seems to have been overlooked is the use of steel wool.  DON'T USE IT FOR CLEANING TRACKS!!!  The metal particles will be attracted to (and mess up) magnetic parts.

As above, a little (green) Scotch Brite, a vacuum cleaner and some denatrued alcohol or track clean should do the trick.  Oh yes, and like Mickey said, don't forget to clean the wheels.

[Dobson]

Bob,

Thanks for the input and warning.  The particles that came off were from the pad.  Not really the track.  In the past when i used a green scotch brite pad i haven't had much success.  That is why i tried this one.  it worked well and the track shined real bright.

[Buckeye Riveter]

For those hard to reach places on a layout, take a long handled snow brush with the scraper on one end and use duct tape (what else!) and attach a Scotch Brite pad to clean the track.  This is about the easiest way I have found to clean the track inside my long bridge.

  There was at one time a posting about Goo Gone being harmful to the traction tires.  Was there any consensus?

 

[wfa]

I USE A DRY WALL SANDING PAD, NOT TOO  ABRASIVE AND YOU CAN GET DIFFERANT GRITS TOO.

[RockIsland52]

Buckeye Riveter

For those hard to reach places on a layout, take a long handled snow brush with the scraper on one end and use duct tape (what else!) and attach a Scotch Brite pad to clean the track.  This is about the easiest way I have found to clean the track inside my long bridge.

  There was at one time a posting about Goo Gone being harmful to the traction tires.  Was there any consensus? 

Goo gone will leave a residue.  If one were to use it, I would suggest one wipe the Goo Gone residue off with isopropyl alcohol.  It's Scotch Brite and then isopropyl for me.

Jack.