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Track cleaning cars

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  • Member since
    January 2018
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Posted by CenterlineProducts on Sunday, January 7, 2018 6:06 PM

Guy,

 

Thanks for pointing me that direction on the HOn3.

Good to hear our cleaners are working for you.

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Posted by trainnut1250 on Saturday, January 6, 2018 11:27 AM

Chuck,

Not many narrow gaugers here....I would direct the query over to HON3 Yahoo groupos to get a better picture of the demand. You might also contact Bob Brown at the gazzette - he and his columnists might have some opinions that would be helpful.

I have lots of friends who are in Narrow gauge (a few of them in HON3). I would think that the car would be be a welcome addition to the track cleaning arsenal that they employ. I have the HO standard gauge version of your product and use it everytime I clean my track.

 

Guy

see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site

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Posted by CenterlineProducts on Friday, January 5, 2018 3:10 PM

Hi all. I found this post and thought I might try to get some feedback for an HOn3 specific track cleaning car.

I took over operations of Centerline Products from my parent and I am now CNC machining the N and HO scale bodies instead of die casting.

With the CNC it will be easy to make a cleaner specific to HOn3 scale.

Any thoughts?

 

Chuck

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Posted by superbe on Monday, May 26, 2014 2:42 PM

As for flammable vapors one way of controlling them is to have a lighted candle or two in the vicinity of where you are working and as the vapors accumulate the candle flame will burn them keeping them from accumulating to the point where they would become explosive.

Hey, it may eliminate the odor as well, but I don't know about that.

Bob

 

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Posted by cmrproducts on Monday, May 26, 2014 1:23 PM

Rich

That is something that a lot of Modelers fail to take into consideration (the Furnace & Hot Water Heater)!

Also is the use of ISO Alcohol for scenery is also a consideration!  But it works so well in speeding up the drying process of the glue!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, May 26, 2014 10:34 AM

Bob, thanks for those additional comments.  I am going to try that metal polishing process.

BTW, I bought one of the CMX cars for $112 a few years back, but I have yet to take it out of the box.  My layout is in my basement and with the gas furnace and two gas water heathers nearby, the flammability of the liquids scares me.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by cmrproducts on Monday, May 26, 2014 9:59 AM

Rich

Using either the Gleam process or just Metal polishing the rails WORKS!

Some on this Forum felt that Gleaming was better for them! - Which is fine!

I am one of those that if the Polish works - Don't try to reinvent the Wheel!

Some like to keep reinventing things! ;-)

Now as far as soldering to the Polished Rails!

I have found no problems !

I use regular Resin Core Electronics Solder and will scrape the rail sides to clean them a bit and solder what I need!

By the time I do any Ballasting and painting of the rails the wiring has been done for many years!

I prefer to run the layout and decide if I need to add a crossover here or there and my Crew make suggestions to track changes that I take into consideration and usually do make the changes if the change will really speed up the switching process or make OPs run a little smoother or faster!

I then only begin the Scenery and Ballasting process!

As for applying the Polish - just a thin skin of polish on a piece of HO Cork and I apply that to the rails.

If the Polish is getting down the sides of the rail - then either you have too much on the surface of the Cork or are sliding the cork sideways on the rails and scraping the polish off the cork surface!

Don't make the polishing process any harder than it needs to be!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, May 26, 2014 8:07 AM

Bob,

Based upon your experience, it seems that the metal polishing process is superior to the gleaming process.

Is that your conclusion?

It seems that the only downside to the metal polishing process is that it makes subsequent soldering more difficult.

But, is that really an issue if you are only polishing the top of the rail?

Any problems with conductivity?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by cmrproducts on Monday, May 26, 2014 7:09 AM

Rich and Others

While I have to agree that the Gleaming Process is a better solution to the HAVE TO Keep Cleaning The Track Problem - I have just let the Polish do its job and am still waiting for it to fail.

With it now over 10 years since I have had to do any cleaning at all - I figured that I wanted to run it out as far as it would go until the NEED to really have to reapply the Metal Polish to my Layout!

I never figured that I would get as far as I did and NOT have to do something to the rails!

Even with what little dust that does land on the rails the Engines STILL RUN GREAT!

Now I do have to admit that I do Clean the Engines wheels - maybe once in 8 or 10 OPs Sessions.

It happens so little I really can't keep track of how often I really do clean the Engines wheels!

I do randomally do cleaning of my Rolling Stock wheels as there is a dirt build up on them!

Not all of my Rolling Stock has had the PLASTIC Wheels replaced - YET!

I do what I call a 30 Day Inspection and Inspect that cars that end up in my Office area part of the Layout.

I give them a quick check for Coupler Height and Operation - Check the Wheels (replace the Plastic with Metal if needed) and clean the Metal Wheels if needed!

YES - The Metal Wheels - THAT are NOT Supposed to attract DIRT - ARE!

So much for that MRR Urban MYTH !

Appearinetly those that are NOT seeing any buildup of DIRT are Not running them as much as I am!

OR - they are very lucky!

Although - having an OPs Session every two weeks with 20 guys running will certainly move the equipment around - so that is probably helping keep my track clean!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, May 26, 2014 6:02 AM

cmrproducts

SO - using Metal Polish might be something to consider!

 

Bob, is that Gleaming?

Or is it something else?

Rich

Edit Note:  Oops, sorry, I should have read on before replying.

Alton Junction

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Posted by zstripe on Monday, May 26, 2014 4:23 AM

Mike,

I didn't reply to this when I saw it. So Good Job! sort of resembles, a empty log car, (hint).

Take Care!

Frank

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Posted by mlehman on Saturday, May 24, 2014 5:34 PM

mlehman
Since replying with my posts regarding HOn3 Centerline cars, I stumbled across something I didn't know existed -- a drawbar adapater for HOn3 from Centerline that fits one of their HO cleaner cars. http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Centerline-Products-HOn3-Drawbar-Adapter-p/clp-60105.htm

Received the Centerline HOn3 adapter kit and installed it. Instructions weren't real helpful, it's a good thing it's virtually idiot proof...Dunce

The kit supplies 4 small 00-90 screws to attach the 714 couplers and whatever HOn3 trucks you use. You are also supplied with two more screws the size of the ones for the standard gauge bolster and trcusk. Ignore them, what you need is to recycle the SG coupler screws. They are used to fasten the convertor to the chassis.

You end up with this big, honkin' track cleaner. In fact, it was really more than that poor little SURR C-19 could pull on the level. Break out the big locos or double head. It does a pretty fair job of cleaning, better becauise of the much greater mass than my adapted N scale Centerlines.

I don't use them very often, but this conversion does make a nice addition to the fleet.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by mlehman on Saturday, May 17, 2014 11:09 AM

jack308gtsi
Did you have to modify the n gauge centerline cleaners besides couplers and trucks?

Since replying with my posts regarding HOn3 Centerline cars, I stumbled across something I didn't know existed -- a drawbar adapater for HOn3 from Centerline that fits one of their HO cleaner cars.

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Centerline-Products-HOn3-Drawbar-Adapter-p/clp-60105.htm

My HOn3-adapted cars are N scale ones, but I ordered one to check it out, as it may be usuable with the N scale ones I have. It will make one heck of a heavy track cleaner for HOn3 if the HO version is used as its basis, which I have a couple of for the SG lines. At only $6, can't go wrong. Will advise/have pics when I receive it.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by zstripe on Monday, May 12, 2014 9:48 PM

Just thought, I would put this back to top, for people who have Track Cleaning Ques.

Big Smile

Frank

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Posted by zstripe on Thursday, May 8, 2014 3:03 PM

I have used the Fitz and Maa's. But I still use the CMX, at least once a year. A layout just sitting will collect dust no matter what kind of environment it is in. Unless of couse, you have it in a bio-chemical sealed room.

I use the Mothers on my classic car wheels.

Take Care!

Frank

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Posted by peahrens on Thursday, May 8, 2014 2:45 PM

cmrproducts
The usual way the Gleam method (Stainless Steel Washer) is to use 600 and then 1000 grit emery cloth to sand the rail heads then the SS Washer is pushed along the rails - to get the proper finish one must put a lot of pressure on the washer to give a shiny finish!

I believe most Gleam method descriptions include another step...polishing.  I used Simichrome polish.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/221146.aspx

 

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

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Posted by cmrproducts on Thursday, May 8, 2014 2:44 PM

zstripe

The CMX track cleaning car can be pushed, or pulled, works both directions.

The track cleaning box car, save Your money! You'll find out why, when you go through turnouts. I have one and was going to experiment with changing the polarity of the two motors, but never did it, plus the pads wear out fast. To me another novelty

Frank

Just as all of the Cleaning Cars are!

I threw ALL of my cleaning cars away a long time ago - 

But I see no one wants to let go of your Cleaning Cars - which is all right as you spend a lot for them

In having spent about $5.00 for a can of Mothers Mag Wheel Polish back in 2003 and I still have 3/4 ths of the can left

It probably has dried up by now as I just never need it.

You all have fun now cleaning your track before each of your running sessions - you hear! ;-)

BOB H - Clarion, PA

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Posted by zstripe on Thursday, May 8, 2014 1:38 PM

The CMX track cleaning car can be pushed, or pulled, works both directions.

The track cleaning box car, save Your money! You'll find out why, when you go through turnouts. I have one and was going to experiment with changing the polarity of the two motors, but never did it, plus the pads wear out fast. To me another novelty

Frank

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Posted by cmrproducts on Thursday, May 8, 2014 10:24 AM

The Stainless Steel Washer is a varation on the Metal Polish Method!

The Washer is used as a last step and it has to be rubbed hard on the surface of the rail heads to actually burnish the surface - which smooths out the minute scratches.

The usual way the Gleam method (Stainless Steel Washer) is to use 600 and then 1000 grit emery cloth to sand the rail heads then the SS Washer is pushed along the rails  - to get the proper finish one must put a lot of pressure on the washer to give a shiny finish!

While many report great success with the Gleam Method

There is a LOT of work to obtain the proper finish!

While there are many that may NOT get the long life (as in NO cleaning of the track) with the Gleam Method - it is probably due to NOT ENOUGH pressure on the SS Washer to produce the proper finish!

I tried this method and found the required amount of pressure on the washer was more than I wanted to do

and the Metal Polish was giving me satisfactory results!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Thursday, May 8, 2014 7:10 AM

There is a track cleaning car demonstrated by a guy at the Timonium train show that is a box car with motorized spinning flat wheels over each rail that impressed me, both with the operation and the cost.  I believe the sell for a whopping $150 but if they work well, and it really could be worth as a long term investment in clean track and enjoyable reliable operation free of dirty track troubles.  The track cleaning car motors seemt to be quite stout and it took a lot to stop the spinning action, so it appears these are built to operate for years but I haven't talked to anyone who has bought and used one long term.

The reason I like the motorized track cleaning car is it look like it really polishs the rail rather than just rolls over it with a fluid, which probably works well but as a supliment to physical "elbow grease" cleaning now and then.  This guy stated Howard Zane had 4 of them...  it would be interesting to hear from anyone who has used the motorized box car track polisher/cleaner.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by cmrproducts on Thursday, May 8, 2014 6:32 AM

Dave

Be aware that the Metal Polish will make it more difficult to solder wire drops to the rails!

So doing it before installing the track may or may not be a good idea!

It really goes a lot faster than one would think on an existing trackwork!

With the handles I made to hold the cork pieces made it easy to get back into industrial sidings and spurs.

 

YES - I cleaned ALL of the track not just the Mainlines and Passing Tracks!

Where the cleaning cars work great for the mains etc they will NEVER work well on stub end sidings as the engine will be in the road and most do not work backing up!

The metal polish eliminates having to continually go back over these stub end tracks as it protects the rails from dirt!

Just as waxing your car finish protects a cars paint

The metal polish gets in the minute scratches in the surface of the rails - fills up the scratches with the polish and this keeps the dirt from being able to attach itself to the scratched surface!

And even using 600 or 1000 grit snad paper SCRATCHES the surface of the rails!

So now there are places for the dirt to get a hold and then this dirt is sticky and the next piece of dirt sticks to the previous one and so on and so on.

Cleaning the rails only removes the dirt build up but does NOTHING to stop the dirt from sticking to the scratches in the rails.

And then there are those that do Polish the track and then go over the track with a cleaning car!!!

This just removes all of the Metal Polish that you just worked so hard to put down (doing any thing to the track other than running trains is WORK) and NOW the dirt is going to begin getting into those scratches on the rails.

You are just defeating the purpose of the Metal Polish - NOT having to CLEAN THE TRACK!

This is why we have to keep cleaning the track over and over again!

Everyone can do what they want - spend money needlessly on those $100.00 cleaning cars but I would much rather purchase another engine or a couple more cars!

BOB H - Clarion, PA 

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Posted by dave v on Thursday, May 8, 2014 6:22 AM

How do you use a stainless steel washer to polish track?

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Posted by mlehman on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 11:55 PM

cmrproducts
While all of the Track Cleaning Cars will do what they are supposed to do - CLEAN THE TRACK The problem is that YOU have to KEEP doing it over and over! This was the problem I faced back in 2003 and trying to keep 1000 feet of track clean so my crew could do Operations without all of the engines stalling (I NOW have over 4000 feet of track down)! I tried everything and while thay all worked - I had to keep recleaning the rails every 2 weeks! I was spending more time cleaning the track than I was running trains!

Big ops, multiple motive power users, lots of track...I really can't compare my situation directly. But my recent run of the Centerlines was actually the first time in at least two years they've been off the shelf and on the layout. I recently converted a bunch of passenger cars to lighting, so wanted to optimize things for them. I also have part of a loop that runs under a stairway, so crud filters down over time and it's just easier to run them through than reach from underneath.

A narrowgauge colleague, Laurie McLean, taught me the wonders of CRC 2-26. Gotta get your track clean first. Then you use a cork that is dampened with CRC to wipe the rails. Let it dry overnight. The rails don't appear shiny afterwards, another advantage, but look more like rails typically do. It's really a blessing with NG and very low maintenance. I used the Centerlines to clean things up well on all my SG and NG hidden track and the CRC does most of the rest. Every once in awhile, a Bright Boy swipe or two is handy, but that's about it.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 10:37 PM

Hey Bob!

Thanks for the prompt and very detailed response!!Bow

I have yet to start my layout but I am convinced by experiences like yours that polishing the track is a neccessity. In fact, I think I will polish the track before installing it so there will be a minimum amount of finish polishing required after it is down.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by cmrproducts on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 10:22 PM

hon30critter

Bob H:

Hi there.

I am assuming that when you refer to "polishing" you are speaking of a different process from "gleaming". In other words you are using a liquid polish as opposed to a stainless steel washer. Is that correct?

If so, could you elaborate a bit on your track polishing method?

- What polish(s) did you use?

- What material(s) did you use to apply the polish?

- How much time did you spend on each section of track?

- Did you do any prep work before polishing?

Also, do you happen to remember which MR issue you saw the polishing article in?

Thanks

Dave

**** - What polish(s) did you use?

I use Mothers Mag Wheel Polish - ANY paste type of Metal polish - or silver polish will work Ftiz & MAAS are other brands

 

**** - What material(s) did you use to apply the polish?

I use a piece of HO Cork (as that is the Scale I Model in) and had pieces laying around.

It is stiff enough to run flat on the rail heads and hold the Polish!

I made wood handles and counter sunk a screw though 2 pieces of cork glued together so the screw head would not scratch the track.

 

**** - How much time did you spend on each section of track?

I place some of the Metal Polish paste in the lid of the continer - I then take the HO Cork and rub the cork on the paste in the lid - I want just a thin costing of paste on the cork!

This way I do not get a lot of the paste down on the sides of the rails - I then run the cork on the rails for about 5 to 6 feet - you can feel the cork getting dry as the paste is used up.

I use a back and forth movement.

I then take another piece of clean cork and buff the rail heads.

YOU ARE DONE with that section!

Apply more polish to the cork and do another section - then buff

 

**** - Did you do any prep work before polishing?

NO! - just placing the paste in the lid of the container and cutting the HO cork roadbed into one inch wide pieces.

The article was in Model Railroader - January 2003

 

BOB H - Clarion, PA

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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 9:46 PM

Bob H:

Hi there.

I am assuming that when you refer to "polishing" you are speaking of a different process from "gleaming". In other words you are using a liquid polish as opposed to a stainless steel washer. Is that correct?

If so, could you elaborate a bit on your track polishing method?

- What polish(s) did you use?

- What material(s) did you use to apply the polish?

- How much time did you spend on each section of track?

- Did you do any prep work before polishing?

Also, do you happen to remember which MR issue you saw the polishing article in?

Thanks

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
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Posted by cmrproducts on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 8:00 PM

While all of the Track Cleaning Cars will do what they are supposed to do - CLEAN THE TRACK

The problem is that YOU have to KEEP doing it over and over!

This was the problem I faced back in 2003 and trying to keep 1000 feet of track clean so my crew could do Operations without all of the engines stalling (I NOW have over 4000 feet of track down)!

 

I tried everything and while thay all worked - I had to keep recleaning the rails every 2 weeks!

I was spending more time cleaning the track than I was running trains!

Something had to give!

Then Model Railroader Magazine had an article about Metal Polishing the track!

I never figured it would work but I was getting desperate!

So I tried it on a section and it worked Great - I did not have to clean that area - so I did another area and it also stayed clean.

SO I stopped the OPs Session that night and my crew helped me Metal Polish the 1000 feet of track!

I have NEVER cleaned the track again and it is now over 11 years since I first Polished the track!

I may have had to scrape paint off the rail heads when doing scenery but that is it!

SO - using Metal Polish might be something to consider!

UNLESS !

YOU like to Clean track - or running the Track Cleaning Car is the only reason YOU can find to run trains!

I much prefer to Do Operations and my crew of 20 Thnks me every OPs Session!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

 

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Posted by zstripe on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 5:40 PM

If anyone is interested, this is the ''How To'' for coverting CMX N-scale Track Cleaning car to HOn3. Pic is finished Model of Author:

http://tonystrains.com/technews/cmxn_mod_to_hon3.htm

Frank

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Posted by mlehman on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 2:26 PM

No, that's it. I'll try to grab a couple of pics of them and post so you can see. This pic shows how wide the first N Centerline car is. It's is no longer available last I heard, but is better to make a conversion to HOn3. I made a sort of span bolster, with the truck's king pin supporting the center and the coupler and car body on each end of it.

The side view below gives more details on the construction. The second, narrower car was current production when I bought it some time ago. It's barely wide enough for HOn3, but it does work. I added a coupler on one end only, since it's typically last and run with a dry roller. It's also much lighter than the first, so I added some weight up top to give it heft. With the rollers different widths, I have to keep two different widths of the Handi-Wipes for the cleaning material on the rollers.

I used the no longer produced MDC HOn3 trucks, because they are plastic and help avoid needing to insulate the weighted car body from the tracks.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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