Well, it has been quite a while since my topic was circulated. This was the 'GLEAM' item that stirred some interest as well as skeptisism. For those who remember, I happened upon a method for treating the rails, particularly nickel type, though it works on other types. To keep this post short, I suggest a search on 'gleam'.
The current status of this method on our museum layout, www.sfrm.org , the helixed HO project, is as follows;
* All track, including turn-outs, get 'gleamed'. This is done only once.
* The entire trackage can be wiped down (aprox. 800 ft) in 4 hours by ONE MEMBER!
* No abrasives , cleaners, cleaner cars, polish. Only dry wipe with ragged train t-shirt.
* Almost 2 years on some trackage, and it still shines.
This is in a historical depot warehouse with huge roll-ups that do not keep out the humid South Florida air very well. The A/C is arcaic at best. Still, once in two years beats once a week..........
Semafore,
Thanks for posting that info. On my next trip to south Florida, I'll make sure to stop by :)
As I've stated before, I've worked with various types of hard and soft metals over the years. Your "Gleam" method is not a fluke. It has strong merits that are worth trying. I still as yet not built my layout but as soon as the trackwork is finished, I will "Gleam" the rails.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Gleam has worked perfectly for me. I'm a believer!
Hal
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I hung onto this in case it would be needed.
When it comes to having clean track that stays clean, you might want to try this. It was posted by one of the members of the Model Railroader forum. It worked for me. It's called 'GLEAM'.QUOTE: (Originally posted by Semafore) I'm talking GLEAM!: ULTRA_SHINY and Smooth rails can now be had with my 'WHAT box?" approach to this conductivity problem. An HO modeller since 1970, I know the problem WELL!THIS IS A ONE-TIME PROCESS. DO ALL TRACK!!1] On an appropiate-sized block, use 400 wet/dry paper to remove the extrusion milling left on the railheads. The block must span both rails.2] Now use 600 or finer, repeat process.3] Using an appropiate-sized STAINLESS-STEEL piece, apply moderate pressure and BURNISH the rails! The more you slide back and forth, the smoother and shinier the rails become! [ the GLEAM part ]. This is because you have removed the ridges, bumps, and pits. Burnishing helps seal pores with metal, eliminating traps for dirt and tarnish; almost like a MIRROR!4] [For Bob H.] Use BLUE MAGIC or equivalent metal polish to deep-clean the remaining contaminates.5] Last, buff the rails to your eye's content!The shine is 5x more lusterous than just polish alone. The wax left behind is minimal, is not insulating, and virtually eliminates rail cleaning.This is a process HOT OFF THE PRESSES! [Of my brain] I've only been at it 6 weeks with amazing results! {I just added the wax step today.} prior to that, though, the NS HO rails I'm guinea-pigging (300') sans wax STILL gleams today, with slight tarnishing, so I'm gonna wax 'em next!I will also try some classic brass rail to see how that stands up.AND REMEMBER; NO MORE ABRASIVES...EVER!!!!!!Or you'll just ruin your mirror finish, and will have to gleam and wax AGAIN!Dry-wipe with paper towel or cotton. You can always polish anytime; wipe away excess.I've had DCC and DC locos/lash-ups creep at a scale 3-5MPH around the staging level loop 100' with NO STALL or FAULTER. gotta love it
Wow! Thanks Jeff!
Where can you get stainless steel? Home Depot?
A stainless steel washer will probably cost you fifty cents or less at your local hardware store.
LOL...great idea... glue a large washer to a block and BAM...very good idea!
Brian
Wow, that sounds like a great method, I'll have to try it out.
BTW, have tested this method with Brass as you mentioned in your original post? I have lots of Brass that's just rotting away (as it should) but if this will work for that you may have just doubled the amount of track I have.
i run trains on spots whear the engines stop and you got to give them a little push. i want to put jumpre wires on the track joints but maybe i shoud try this first.
DJO i run trains on spots whear the engines stop and you got to give them a little push. i want to put jumpre wires on the track joints but maybe i shoud try this first.
Richard, if you're reading this, please accept my eternal thanks for promoting this method. Anytime I post a reply about gleaming, I mention your name.
Before Christmas 2009, I built a small On30 layout to put under the tree. The last step in building it was to gleam the tracks. Used it off and on over that Christmas and it worked well.
The real test was Christmas 2010! The layout was stored in the unfinished part of the basement sitting right side up on a top shelf. When I set up the tree, I took the layout down and brushed off the dust. It worked perfectly the whole season!
I also have a little N scale circle layout that mounts IN the tree. It's about 4 years old. The first year, it worked fine but needed cleaning before the season was over. The second year, I gleamed the track. It worked fine. I haven't done ANYTHING to it since. This year, it worked just as well as it has since I gleamed the rails.
On my regular N scale layout, I was constantly cleaning the rails if I wanted to run trains. About 5 years ago, when I first heard about gleaming, I tried it on a small section of my layout and eventually gleamed the whole layout. I haven't had to clean ANY track since then. My layout sits idle for long periods of time. Since it's in a conditioned area of the house (a spare bedroom), it doesn't collect too much dust. It's wonderful being able to run a train whenever I want without having to clean the tracks each time!
Gleaming works! It's labor-intensive to do a whole layout, but it is WELL worth the time spent!
Thanks, Richard!
Since I'll be laying track soon it seems to me that gleaming is something I ought to do at the same time. But a couple questions:
Polish, would something like Barkeepers Friend work? Mag wheel polish? Silver polish?
Wax, it's unclear wether or not this needs done. And if so what wax is reccomended, paste or liquid?
And to save myself a lot of hand labor, I have a small air powered angle grinder that accepts scotchbrite pads (about 1.5"diameter), could the scotchbrite pads be used instead of sanding? I don't see why not as long as I go with the rails rather than across.
I'll have some 300 feet of track to do when you figure in the double and quadruple mains, sidings and spurs so I'm looking to save some labor.
Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction
I use a cream type metal polish called 'Blue Magic'. You should be able to find it at any good auto parts store.
I've never heard of wax being used.
I don't know about the Scotch-Brite pads. If you can get them in 600 grit and 800 grit that may work well. Never tried it myself as I prefer to use old-fashioned elbow grease.
ruderunner ..... Mag wheel polish? Silver polish? .......... to save myself a lot of hand labor, I have a small air powered angle grinder that accepts scotchbrite pads (about 1.5"diameter), could the scotchbrite pads be used instead of sanding? I don't see why not as long as I go with the rails rather than across. I'll have some 300 feet of track to do when you figure in the double and quadruple mains, sidings and spurs so I'm looking to save some labor.
..... Mag wheel polish? Silver polish?
.......... to save myself a lot of hand labor, I have a small air powered angle grinder that accepts scotchbrite pads (about 1.5"diameter), could the scotchbrite pads be used instead of sanding? I don't see why not as long as I go with the rails rather than across.
Wow , hadn't seen this thread in a while, but it's a good one.
Keep in mind that, depending upon the grit used, scotch pads on a rotary tool will leave tiny circular scuff patterns on top of your rails. It might or might not be of consequence.
Question: Which Scotch Brites product are you utilizing?
#7445 White = 1200-1500 grit
#7448 Light. Gray = 800-1000 grit
#7447 and #8447 Maroon = 360-400 grit
#7446 Gray = 120-150 grit (don't use this one!)
If you have spare pieces of flex track, experiment. Buff one piece by hand and the other with your rotary tool and look closely at your results. Then apply your polish (Mag Wheel, Brasso, etc). Check again and then make a judgment call as to which yielded the better results.
IMHO, wetsanding 300ft. of track with 3M 600 wet/dry grit sheets does not seem like such a daunting task. The amount of pressure required by hand is much less than the pressure the average adult male over 21 needs to use when wiping a car window with a soft cloth and Windex. Relax as you wet sand and let the sandpaper (or Scotch Brite) do the work for you. There's not a lot of "muscle" required to do this.
Simplify: Break up your Gleam project over a period of several days by, perhaps, spending 30 minutes each day on the layout until it's finished.
The use of automotive wax is an interesting idea and might be worth trying. One thing that does come to mind, however, is if your railroad has grades and your locomotives haul heavy trains.........I wonder about the potential for wheel slippage. After all, automotive waxes do make surfaces "slick".
AntonioFP45Then apply your polish (Mag Wheel, Brasso, etc).
ruderunner Since I'll be laying track soon it seems to me that gleaming is something I ought to do at the same time. But a couple questions: Polish, would something like Barkeepers Friend work? Mag wheel polish? Silver polish? Wax, it's unclear wether or not this needs done. And if so what wax is reccomended, paste or liquid? And to save myself a lot of hand labor, I have a small air powered angle grinder that accepts scotchbrite pads (about 1.5"diameter), could the scotchbrite pads be used instead of sanding? I don't see why not as long as I go with the rails rather than across. I'll have some 300 feet of track to do when you figure in the double and quadruple mains, sidings and spurs so I'm looking to save some labor.
The sanding and buffing part each will take about 2 to 3 times as long as if you were just cleaning the track with a bright boy. As noted earlier it doesn't take a lot of pressure but in the end it's well worth it. Try a small section to get an idea on the time. When you're done just seeing the shine will be enough to motivate you to keep going.
Springfield PA
jeffrey-wimberly AntonioFP45: Then apply your polish (Mag Wheel, Brasso, etc). Do not use Brasso! It leaves an insulating residue. I've found that Blue Magic metal polish cream or Mother's Mag Wheel polish work just fine. If you use the Blue Magic be aware that it contains ammonia and adequate ventilation is needed. I wear latex or nitrile gloves while using it.
AntonioFP45: Then apply your polish (Mag Wheel, Brasso, etc).
Do not use Brasso! It leaves an insulating residue. I've found that Blue Magic metal polish cream or Mother's Mag Wheel polish work just fine. If you use the Blue Magic be aware that it contains ammonia and adequate ventilation is needed. I wear latex or nitrile gloves while using it.
thanks for the tip on Brasso. I'll definetely keep that in mind.
I wonder if any of us really knows what the heck is going on at the place where the wheels meet the rail head. Some have to clean before every session. Others ask why all the fuss....they never have to clean. Same products in use in two places.
Then we use several methods when we do break down and tackle what we think is a cleanliness problem. They all work, but some don't seem to be durable solutions.
Then we have guys swearing that Wahl's Clipper Oil as a sheen imparted to the entire rail system by placing a few drops here and there and letting the trains distribute it is a magical cure-all. Oil............on rails. But they swear it improves electrical contact and doesn't affect traction.
So, with the mention of wax, maybe it is worth a trial. If just about every other intuitive and counter-intuitive method seems to increase the fun dramatically for its user, might as well give it a shot.
Crandell
I did a sample test last night on one piece of brass track and it shines like the sum. My entire layout is brass track which I obtained for pennies on the dollar and I have no problems with it. With this gleaming process even the need for more frequent cleaning may be an obsolete argument.
Glad to see this topic brought back up. This genius has nbo real-estate, but asll the flextrak for a planned layout is sitting in a garage, and he figures that it'll be easier to Gleam when not mounted to the tracks.
-Morgan
Sounds interesting...does it matter which one of these products you use:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dautomotive&field-keywords=blue+magic+metal+polish&x=0&y=0
???
Sorry for the question, but I never heard of blue magic before.
The St. Francis Consolidated Railroad of the Colorado Rockies
Denver, Colorado
J-W, wax is clearly mentioned in the quoted post about the steps in the process. Though after thinking about it, it may reference to a wax component of the polish. Wax and polish are not the same thing, hence the confusion.
As for the scotchbrite pads on the grinder, I intended to hold the wheel nearly upright so the motion would go along the rails rather than across it. The one's I use at work are the maroon ones but I know they made different grits. Quite surprised to see it goes to 1000! Thanks for the part numbers, saves me some searching.
Flashwave, Hmmm hadn't really thought about pretreating the track before installing but:
it would be easier than dragging an air hose into the basement, it keeps the mess out of the house and it can avoid knocking track out of alignment. I may try that and see how it works. Downside is I would still have to sand/file railjoints and do some touchup gleaming.
ruderunner J-W, wax is clearly mentioned in the quoted post about the steps in the process. Though after thinking about it, it may reference to a wax component of the polish. Wax and polish are not the same thing, hence the confusion. As for the scotchbrite pads on the grinder, I intended to hold the wheel nearly upright so the motion would go along the rails rather than across it. The one's I use at work are the maroon ones but I know they made different grits. Quite surprised to see it goes to 1000! Thanks for the part numbers, saves me some searching. Flashwave, Hmmm hadn't really thought about pretreating the track before installing but: it would be easier than dragging an air hose into the basement, it keeps the mess out of the house and it can avoid knocking track out of alignment. I may try that and see how it works. Downside is I would still have to sand/file railjoints and do some touchup gleaming.
Hadn't thought of the railjoints much, especially if soldered, would need a smoothing and possibly a whole re-treat. Cutting the rail might be more counter-productive too, but please let us know how it runs.