Cleaning Fluid

[RideOnRoad]

I bought a cleaning car that can either run dry or dampened with cleaning fluid.  Any recommendations for cleaning fluids?

[zstripe]

Richard,

When I saw the thread title,the first thing that come to mind,was Naptha,  But you dob't want to use that. Seriously,you may have missed the thread in General Discussions,about Track cleaning Cars,,It's on page two,you will find all kinds of things and fluids people use. I myself,when need arises,use a CMX car with Lacquer thinner.

Cheers, 

Frank

[RideOnRoad]

zstripe

Seriously,you may have missed the thread in General Discussions,about Track cleaning Cars,,It's on page two,you will find all kinds of things and fluids people use.

And I even used a Google search to look for answers before I posted.    I will look at the other thread.

Thanks!

[BIG JERR]

you don't say what cleaning car you have ? some may not do well with high powered solvents like lacquer thiner , I SEE THAT now Bauchman has a tanker cleaning car that looks similar to the cmx all brass car .

 Just curious what you have JW

[dominic c]

From time to time I will use GOO Gone. It does the job. I think better than say alcohol.

Joe C 

[RideOnRoad]

BIG JERR

you don't say what cleaning car you have ? . . .

Custom-built car with a masonite pad underneath.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

BIG JERR

you don't say what cleaning car you have ? some may not do well with high powered solvents like lacquer thiner , I SEE THAT now Bauchman has a tanker cleaning car that looks similar to the cmx all brass car .

The Bachmann cleaner car is all plastic save for the wheels. It uses a dry pad that it drags along under the car similar to the Masonite setups. I have one. I worked well enough but I didn't like the weight which is on the light side. I put a rolled up lead sheet in the tank and put a square of lead sheet on top of the weight. Now it works better. The stiffest cleaning fluid I use with is 91% alcohol. I just pour a little on the pad.

[cacole]

Goo-Gone leaves a sticky film on your rail and is not a very good rail cleaning product.  Centerline used to provide a small bottle of Goo-Gone with their track cleaning car, but a lot of people reported problems with track getting dirty faster after using it.

At our large HO scale club layout, we use a CMX Clean Machine filled with Lacquer Thinner followed by the Centerline car running dry to mop up any residue.

[dominic c]

cacole

Goo-Gone leaves a sticky film on your rail and is not a very good rail cleaning product.  Centerline used to provide a small bottle of Goo-Gone with their track cleaning car, but a lot of people reported problems with track getting dirty faster after using it.

At our large HO scale club layout, we use a CMX Clean Machine filled with Lacquer Thinner followed by the Centerline car running dry to mop up any residue.

Goo Gone is used to remove anything sticky. If wiped properly, there is no film.  Lacquer thinner just seems to stringent to be used in my opinion,  unless you guys like smelling that stuff

Joe C

[jeffrey-wimberly]

dominic c

Goo Gone is used to remove anything sticky. If wiped properly, there is no film.  Lacquer thinner just seems to stringent to be used in my opinion 

Then I've not found the proper way to wipe it then. Every way I've tried leaves a film, no matter how thin that becomes a dust magnet. I found Krud Kutter does a better job. I use lacquer thinner on metal models that are going to be stripped or to clean an already stripped metal model preparatory to painting. I also use it on old track that needs a stiff cleaning.

[JeremyB]

In regards to lacquer thinner. I have heard it cleans rails good but if any of it gets on plastic rail heads it will cause a great deal of damage? is this true?

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JeremyB

In regards to lacquer thinner. I have heard it cleans rails good but if any of it gets on plastic rail heads it will cause a great deal of damage? is this true?

Yes. It will melt plastic.

[zstripe]

JeremyB,

If you use a CMX machine and don't soak the pad and don't spend a whole bunch of time,on plastic parts,you should not have a problem,but on plastic frogs, I would guess there would be cause for concern,then you would be better off with using Alcohol. All my turnouts have metal frogs,so I don't have a problem. 

Cheers, 

Frank

[BIG JERR]

hey there finally got a CMX car , and noted that with MEK, it well lock up(melt to) on rerailers if not moving fast and the lining of the corduroy breaks down with MEK ,seems its got a bit of synthetic material in it that breaks down w/MEK ... I THINK I WELL USE AN ALCOHOL PRODUCT IN IT 70, 90 or denatured ....jerry

[cacole]

You have the CMX set for too much drip onto the cloth if you're having that problem --- just a drop every 10 seconds should be enough to clean your track and not damage anything.

[BIG JERR]

yes it was more like two to three drops per ten seconds , but I'm more concerned about the corduroy possibly having some synthetic in it that seems to break down with hot solvents ,I was also draggen a john Allen type car with some of the corduroy fabric attached to the Masonite pad as a wiper and when  switched to MEK it two started breaking down ( the fabric started separating from backing) . any way just a first time observation and well adjust down the drip rate next use ,but I dopt I well use MEK again....Jerry

[JBCA]

Ah, the olden days carbon tetrachloride.  Must have inhaled a bunch of the fumes . . . but I've made it to 66

[cjcrescent]

JBCA

Ah, the olden days carbon tetrachloride.  Must have inhaled a bunch of the fumes . . . but I've made it to 66

I can remember when that stuff was THE all time all purpose cleaner/dryer that was used on anything and everything.

As to a track cleaning car, I have a Centerline, 3-4 of the John Allen cleaning cars, and one of Walthers friction pad cars as well.