I am a Novice with G-Scale, I have two loops around the ceiling of my train room, (O Scale). I haven't been able to run any of the G-scale for a couple of years due to medical issues. Finally, I'm back. Anyway the track really needed cleaning, so I used some Scotch Brite and a palm sander. Boy did that ever work great! Quick and verry easy. My question is, is using Scotch-Brite harmful?
Don
Sctoch Brite is good. Not so much the palm sander. Most everything we use to scrub rails will leave behind scratches in the rail. The scratches left by Scotch Brite are really microscopic. Not so sure that the speed and pressure of the palm sander does not increase the size ot the fine scratches. Then again having not used a palm sander I could be wrong. In my eighteen years I have used scotch brite on a pole sander to clean my 500 ft of rails in about 5~7 minutes. Back to the scratches, they collect oxidation quicker and can impeed electron transfer from rails to wheels/pickups.
Tom Trigg
Tom, Thank you for your reply. I have some track both inside and outside, did the inside yesterday, will do the outside when weather permits. Think I will initially give the outside a try with the palm sander, then maintain it with a "Swifter" with the Scotch Brite attached to that.
Thanks again.
Don, Since we both live in So Cal we should experience the same climate. My rails are LGB & Piko brass. After you finish the 'rough cleaning' I would like to suggest you look at and modify my routine cleaning procedures. My primary cleaning is simply a wood block floating under a box car. Nails from the block reach up and through two small holes drilled in the underside of the boxcar. Front and rear edges have been rounded, with carpet tacks at each end. Drive the tacks half way in and clip the heads off. These 'spikes' give a way of quickly attaching and changing the scotch brite pads. This scotch brite block is used weekly while running the trains. Twice a year I break out the pole sander for a quick scrub. Since the scotch brite bolck is not used on stub end sidings and my yard I take extra time to scrub thoses areas. Have fun and enjoy.
I like the "floating block", that would seem to be very effective. Thanks for the tip I will make one. What's really good is the minimial pressure on the track, and for maintance that wouldn't be real aggressive.
I have a simple dog bone in the back yard, it hasn't been used in close to three years. So the "rough cleaning" is necessary, I tried it in a small area and really worked good. But would NOT want to use that on a regular basis. (I have been out of commission for two years. I run the steam engine at Knott's Berry Farm. Fell from the cab, and my heel came down on the railhead. Shattered my leg. So after 4 surgeries, I am now getting back to walking, and wanted to get the track operational again.)
Thanks for taking the time to replly, and really like the idea!
"OUCH!". I fell on the sidewalk and fractured my hip two years ago. Feel your pain.
One thing I failed to mention. After about two years of the floating block, I went back and added 4 oz of fishing weights. Vast improvement in performance. 6 oz seemed to cause the car to derail which it never did before, at 4 oz seems to be working fine for over 10 years.
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