I have a CMX track cleaner and have discoved that the DCC engines I have are just not as powerfull as my old DC Kato units I used to use it with. I have even used two engines one being an MTH GP35, soposidly a 5oz drawbar pull.
Are you sure you didn't fill the thing with glue instead of alcohol or lacquer thinner?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
My CMX(HO) need two P2K GP9's to push/pull it around the club layout.
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Test it with a spring or electronic scale (or phone-app strain gage?) to see what the car needs and locomotives are actually putting out?
On the club layout, which has effectively no grades except one spot, they run 4 powered units for the cleaning train, but it has a CMX car plus 2 Centerline cars. Not sure of the source of the locos, but I think they are just some old Blue Box SDs with decoders added.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I have subways and the CMX car is the only way to clean some of them. Because the subway tunnels are intentionally short, normal trains can't go there. I have to MU together two subway motorized units to pull the CMX around.
A CMX is very heavy, even empty, and the cleaning pad provides even more drag. I think the friction from the cleaning pad is less with lacquer thinner than with alcohol.
And my stupid auto-correct changed "cleaning pad" to "cleaning lady."
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
As long as you pay her well, scrubbing all the track by hand is a lot of work for an HO scale person.
I had never checked the drawbar on my CMX (HO) so after reading this post I checked it. At first pull it took 2oz before it moved then dropped to 1.9oz. The CMX has ACT-6006 track cleaning fluid in it. The cleaning pad looks almost new and in very good condition. The test was done on a 36” Atlas code 83 track on my workbench used for checking my locomotives. The meter is one that I bought off eBay several years ago. After a couple of months of using it I decided I should check it’s accuracy. I took it to the Post Office and it measured exactly the same as their calibrated meters.I put a small eye screw in the end of a Kadee 206 coupler gauge and use it to check the drawbar on my locomotives. I feel pretty confident about the CMX drawbar pull needed to tow it.My super heavy E7s have 8oz of drawbar according to the same meter. The E7s are Athearn SD40 frames with Neodymium magnet motors and cast metal Cary bodies. A single E7 struggles to push my CMX up my 3½% grades without wheel slip. I’ve never tried towing it.
EDIT:
I didn't think to weigh my CMX until I read the above post, it weighs 11oz with about ½oz of ACT-6006 fluid in it.
Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Never relized it was that heavy.
Two DCC with sound Diesels (Atlas) with a total of 16 wheels pulling the cleaning car will work for me.
You say your Engines do not have enough power?
1) Not having enough power would mean the Engine will stall.
2) Not having enough power with the wheels slipping mean Engine is to light.
Your DC Engines could have been heavier because...all available space is weight. DCC Engines with their circut boards and speaker equal less weight.
So I found out.
PC101Your DC Engines could have been heavier because...all available space is weight. DCC Engines with [their] circuit boards and speaker equal less weight.
Sounds like the perfect time to learn or do consisting.