Anyone ever use LPS-1 on their track instead of a Bright Boy. I've been doing some research and this sounds like a better choice as it (supposedly) helps with electrical contact as well as cleaning the crud and doesn't scratch the rail. I hate to spend $10 if it doesn't work! Tom
This is a track cleaning question and has nothing to do with prototype railroading, but the administrators can no longer move posts.
A previous thread 8 years ago: no one actually used it, but a few championed CRC 2-26
There is currently a active thread on No-Oxit and if you go to a competing MR forum, they are wild about graphite. You can find people believe in the $140 tank car that dumps lacquer thinner on the rails, hair clipper oil, automatic transmission oil, simichrome.
In answer to your question, I have not used it. My techinque is bright boy, after scenicking after ballast or landscaping, followed by 1000 grit wet dry sandpaper.
If there are controlled double blind studies on track cleaning, I would like to know. Otherwise we are left reading posts and articles that Mr. X used to use A and now he uses B and that is so much better.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
BigDaddyThis is a track cleaning question and has nothing to do with prototype railroading, but the administrators can no longer move posts.
While they can no longer merge or split a thread, moving one is not an issue, Henry - at least for now...Done.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
LPS-1 is an electrical contact cleaner, and should work well in removing organic deposits. It should be remembered that rolling light contact is different in nature from spring-closed or knife-switch contact, so deposits of 'no-ox' material on track contact areas might not be the same benefit. The CRC 2-26 is similar.
I am familiar only with these in spray form, which is not that useful in model-size track cleaning unless you apply it to something like a John Allen masonite pad (which may itself not be valuable to do long-term for different reasons). I would be interested in tests that evaluated how the stuff actually performs when used on a Q-tip or pad or in something like a CMX car
Note that there is a range of No-Ox-It products, and this is not the same as No-Ox-Id products. Be aware of what 'conductive grease' actually does, for example in making aluminum house wiring less unsafe, and again remember the difference between a clamped or wirenutted connection and rolling contact (with what may be strong inductive load supplied across the contact unpredictably)
Ovemod, thanks for the information.
Sorry I posted in the wrong place.
I have been using ACT-6006 cleaner in my CMX track cleaner for about 15 years without any problems. After absence from running trains for long periods a double pass works flawlessly.https://achlubes.com/shop/track-cleaner-conditioner-8oz/I have no monetary connection with the above product, I tried it and it has worked perfect for years. I have 3½% grades and no slippage after using ACT-6006 on my rails.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California Turned 84 in July, aging is definitely not for wimps.
BigDaddyIn answer to your question, I have not used it. My techinque is bright boy, after scenicking after ballast or landscaping, followed by 1000 grit wet dry sandpaper.
LION has 14 scale miles of track.LION runs SUBWAY trains... In Tunnels! You aint going to get no brightboy in there. But I can built a TrackTrain (Subway has lots of ROW stuff -- We call it Divison C stuff!) with a masonite drag under it.
Has to be custom built: Need power pickup from both ends tied together!
(ROAR)
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I've used LPS-1 for track cleaning for a number of years, ever since reading about it on another discussion board probably 20 years ago. It doesn't seem to have made anything worse; the cloth I use it with picks up a good bit of blackish material (oxidation, dust, whatever); and I never have electrical contact problems, wheel sparking, etc. that cant be traced to some source other than dirty track. Having said that, I've never done comparison tests with any other method. Now that I think of it, I've not even compared using LPS-1 with simply using a plain dry cloth. The environment is unfinished basement (with painted concrete floor). And I don't run trains a lot. So I make no special claims for this method, and there surely are other methods that work as well, maybe better, that I've never tried.
My process, on my "folded dogbone with extras" layout: Two or three times a year I wrap a cloth around a small block of wood and spray some onto the cloth. Then I rub the track with the cloth/block--typically just one or two swipes. For areas like switch points/frogs, or a less than perfect rail joint, that would catch and tear the cloth, I wrap the cloth around a finger tip and swipe (with my hand in a vinyl or rubber glove for protection from LPS-1).