Today, my wife and I were doing some house cleaning and I came across a can of electro contact cleaner, from the company LPS, would this be a good cleaner for my tracks, I understand the talk is changing from "cleaning track " to producing a "better conductivity" for your track instead. If anybody has any info on this product it would be much appreacated. Take Care Trainsrme1
I've used quite a few various contact cleaners over the years. LPS is a great product but I would not trust it around anything plastic or any painted surfaces.
I remember using the LPS Electro contact cleaner on a telephone Touch-Tone keypad once and effectively cemented all the keys in the housing!
A lot would depend on which product you have (416?) and how old it is. The early formulas have CFC-113 in it. Basically dry cleaning fluid. Later formulas have been "cleaned up" but still may not be completely safe on plastics.
There is a CRC product called Contact Cleaner and Protectant (3140) that has good cleaning properties and I have not had any incompatibility problems with plastics using it.
Good Luck, Ed
Thank You Ed, I found this product on one of our shevles, and I was courious about it, I also have the CRC 2-26 product,, is the CRC (3140) just as good?
I use the CRC 2-26 frequently and like it very much. I read about the 3140 product on another forum and picked up a can out of curiosity but haven't really used it for any track cleaning chores. It can be decanted into another container and used with cotton swabs or cloth scraps.
I use mineral spirits in my CMX and Centerline cars with no complaints.
The 2-26 makes an excellent lube and contact enhancer for metal axle points (Walthers passenger cars and most recent locomotives). I would use the LPS on automotive and household projects OR if you have a locomotive disassembled and want to use it for cleaning metal parts.
Regards, Ed
The LPS is repeatedly mentioned in sundry 'gleaming' type threads as an effective railhead cleaner (and perhaps TOR dressing). So is the 2-26.
But spray it on a paper towel, wearing nitrile gloves, and use it only on the top and gauge faces of the rail.
According to a list published in a competing e-zine about four years ago now, kerosene tops the list of cleaning fluids for N/S rail. Second on their list came WD-40 Contact Cleaner, and then CRC Contact Cleaner. As suggested, dampen a cloth while you're sporting protective gloves and wipe the rails. I would step out doors to dampen the cloth unless I were in a dungeon and it would take me longer than it takes the cloth to dry.
Curious how others like the CRC 2-26 since I got it at HD years ago. I've not used it b/c use the rubbing alcohol to clean tracks and loco wheels. Any differences between them? Does one produce better results?