Ive watched videos of Cody and others painting track but I'm not clear how the rails are cleaned after the painting is done?
Gary
When I spray paint track I first take a Q-tip and some very light household type oil and run it on the top of the rails. After painting it is an easy matter to take a rag or paper towel and just wipe up any paint on the top of the rail. To make sure I rub only the top of the rail I wrap a stick of balsa with the rag or towel.
Others simply douse the rag or paper towel in paint remover or lacquer thinner (taking due protection for the hands with nitrile gloves) and rub the top of the rail. The faster you get to this step after the painting the better - with luck the paint will not have totally dried yet. Any stubborn bits of dried on paint can be dealt with later with some gentle scraping with the back (flat) edge of a knife.
You didn't ask but when painting rail I also use bits of masking tape where the turnout points would touch, and make electrical contact with, the stock rails.
Dave Nelson
I do essentially what MR author Pelle Soeborg does, which is drag a dull utility knife blade backwards across the rails, then finish with a track eraser. Since I don't push the blade, it never digs into the rail, and causes no damage at all. The process is very fast. There are always people who doubt this method should work but it does. I've cleaned hundreds of feet of track this way with no ill effects.
Rob Spangler
Thanks for the posts. I knew about the turnouts.
do those marker things work? Guess you have to hit each tie, middle and outside edges individually, nah, think I'll spray.
paint can or airbrush?
gdelmorodo those marker things work?
They sorta work. They leave a translucent coat of paint behind, so they work best if you apply a primer first. I'd recommend using them only over some kind of base color like Rustoleum camouflage brown.
for those stubborn sections, a small piece of masonite, rough side down works great. And doesn't scratch the rails.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
The marker-type applicators come in handy for spot and touch-up detailing. Spraying the rail will yield much better results.
I do use full size cans where they work well. Sometimes, your terrain can be confined near the tracks and it's worthwhile to consider the smaller hobby type cans. Their shorter height allows you to get closer to your work, more accurately, and avoid overspary. They'll still paint a lot of track (maybe 100' or so?), so the exrtra cost is often worth the advantage they give in this app.
in any case, I keep rail top cleanup simple by doing it RIGHT AWAY -- while the paint is still wet. Take a short section of 2x4, wrap it in a paper towel (should wrap around just about once with just enough overlap to work on a 2x4), stand the wrapped 2x4 on edge and wipe. Comes right off. So long as you work no more than 4' or so ahead at a time with fresh paint and clean up right away, it'll work. Shift the towel around as it gets dirty, replace as needed. Be careful you don't snag any points or frogs.
If things set long enough to dry, a few drops of alcohol or acetone on the working surface of the towel-wrapped block will usually take things off. If you find yourself doing this much, you're waiting too long to followup with the dry towel block, though.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Single layer of cotton tee shirt material wetted with lacquer thinner wrapped tightly around a small wood block. Paint, immediately slide the block on the rails, easy peasy. Cloth only touches the railhead so doesn't interfere with wet paint on the web. As a bonus, marks or lack thereof on the cloth tell you the rail is totally clean. Block glides over turnouts without snagging on frog or point rails. Did my entire layout this way, about 200' of track. I also use the same method periodically as general track cleaning maintenance.
Alan
Freelancing the LK&O Railroad
That soundo like a plan!
What do you do about the lack of ventilation? Small parts at a time Until paint smell dissipates?
LION clean small sections with thumb-claw of him.
Uddewise of him use putty knife, has straight edge, cleans both rails at once.
Job Done, Catch Wildebeest.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
gdelmoro What do you do about the lack of ventilation? Small parts at a time Until paint smell dissipates?
I have an exhaust fan for the basement for just such issues. If you paint a short section and then clean, it tends to limit fume buildup. Take a break if the fan doesn't clear things quickly enough.
Where you get into trouble with both paint drying before you get things cleaned and with fume buildup is trying to do it all too quickly. Pace yourself and you'll be fine. I did large sections of the layout all in the same day, but a little at a time.
You can see the small bits of blue tape protecting my points. I used a handhedl sheet of cardboard to act as a screen to limit overspray, but as you can see I had already done quite a lot of basic scenery before panting the track.
Thanks. Beautiful layout
I rattle can it and wipe away at the top of the rail immediatly with a dry rag wrapped around my finger. Once dry a quick touch with a brite boy and we are good. For touch up paint I put a bit of paint thinner in a glass paint bottle and spray into it till I get the consitity I am looking for, this will last months if sealed right, maybe longer.
LION waits for paint to dry. Why get wet paint on nice fur of LION?
Comes off dry easy enough with a putty knife.
gdelmoro Ive watched videos of Cody and others painting track but I'm not clear how the rails are cleaned after the painting is done?
Rob Spanglers method mentioned above to scrape off the dried paint really works as great as he said, I'm a believer after trying it myself!
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I use rustoleum paint in a rattle can. I spray a section then imediately wipe the top of the rails with a paper towel or cloth. Anything I miss can be removed with an abrasive track cleaner.
For hand layed track on wood ties, I use pre-weather rail and touch up the track joiners with a brush.
Well, I painted the track in one of my yards. I used a Q-Tip to spread 3 in 1 oil on the railheads. Masked the turnout parts then used an acrylic spray paint can to paint the rails. The oil worked great. No problem getting even semi-dry paint off.