charlie9 Let us not forget that different folks get different results from doing the same thing. A lot depends on the environment your model trains are in. I am fortunate to have a very clean, dry basement with all concrete surfaces sealed and a tongue and groove ceiling above. Dust and dirt are no where near the problem they have been on previous layouts in other locations. Charlie
Let us not forget that different folks get different results from doing the same thing. A lot depends on the environment your model trains are in. I am fortunate to have a very clean, dry basement with all concrete surfaces sealed and a tongue and groove ceiling above. Dust and dirt are no where near the problem they have been on previous layouts in other locations.
Charlie
Good point, Charlie. I live in a relatively dry (high desert) area, and there is micro dust everywhere, even in the cleanest homes. Living about 1/4 mile from a gravel pit can't be helping. Humidity's never been an issue. If I dont touch my layout for a few months, I'll, get a layer of gray dust on what I wipe the rails with.
Will gleaming my rails eliminate this problem? Probably not. A trip around the layout every few months with a rag and solvent does the trick. I probably have two and a half to three scale miles of track. And NO plastic wheels. Dan
HO-Velobut the non-sound equipped loco when run at a higher rate of speed kinda blasts past the dirty spots.
Actually my switching layout is 1' x 10' DC/DCC(I use a MRC Tech 6) and at slow switching speeds I don't have a issue on dirty track unlike when I'm running my DCC/Sound equipped locomotives.
But,my ISL is in my computer/game/layout room--a fancy name I use for my spare bedroom that contains my goodies..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
CCG, I think Charlie9 hit it right on the head about getting different results from the same track cleaning method and the importance of layout environment. There's a lot of variables.
My compact point to point DCC switching layout shares a double garage with the family automobile. Even though significant and helpful improvements were made to the garage there's still a certain amount of dust and grime that reaches the layout when that big door opens up, especially when it's windy. The track still requires routine cleaning with a CMX car filled with lacquer thinner. But changing over to metal wheelsets, gleaming and metal polishing the track has helped with cleaning frequency.
I've noticed that the sound equipped locos are most touchy with dirty track, especially when run at slow switching speeds, but the non-sound equipped loco when run at a higher rate of speed kinda blasts past the dirty spots.
For me track cleaning will remain a necessary evil, but I'm not complaining, I feel very fortunate to have a layout even if it's location requires some extra maintenance.
regards, Peter
I'm a big fan of clean track only when needed not every time you operate(run trains) unless you are running sound equipped locomotives..My experience is these are more finicky to a speck of dust on the track unlike DC and DCC locomotives.
Same here, Chuck. Whole -Heartedly agree.
Terry in NW Wisconsin
Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel
I seem to have achieved a, "Once and done," state with my once-Gleemed track. I have even picked up and re-laid once-Gleemed flex and didn't have to redo he finish.
Other cleaning consists of running a plow to clear the larger debris (shreds of foam, mostly) between shop-vac attacks. That, plus occasional use of a dry paper towel, is all I ever do. However, I live in a place where humidity is high if it can't be expressed in a single digit.
When I start covering over the Netherworld I may have to add a John Allen slider or two to my roster.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on once-Gleemed track)
I'm a big fan of the gleam method. I never achieved the "once and done" level, but a quick wipe down with a damp alcohol rag every few months did the trick.
Jim
You should consider how you plan to clean your track. Some of us believe in "continuous cleaning" with a car that's always in service, cleaning the track all the time with a dry piece of something like Masonite mounted underneath. Others take an afternoon and run a solvent cleaner all around the layout.
I have a CMX car, and I use lacquer thinner as the solvent. I've tried alcohol and it doesn't work as well. I clean my track 3 or 4 times a year. Like the Lion, I have subways. I can get to most of the track by removing the liftoffs, but using the CMX machine is a lot less effort.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Gleam your track once and occasionally clean your locos' wheells with a dry paper towel and you're all set for a long time.
Firstly, if you "gleam" your track it should extend intervals between needed cleanings. I believe that polishing is the last step of that burnishing process. You can find the how to's in a "gleam" search on the forum.
Edit: the following thread includes the procedure for gleaming:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/212742.aspx
I did gleam mine but I do not get the near perfect performance that some achieve. Perhaps not done as well as possible. So I supplement that with two things. I usually have a "John Allen" track cleaning car (masonite pad) I built from an Athearn BB kit, ala a youtube video, that I include in one train. And about every 2-3 months I also run a CMX car (I've been using denatured alcohol) everywhere. That gets everything to best performance.
I also put metal wheelsets on my freight cars, which many believe reduces moving dirt around with grime buildup on plastic wheels. And also clean the loco wheels (by spinning over an alcohol wet paper towel piece) occasionally.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
I used Metal Polish back in 2003 and have not had to clean my 4000 ft of track since.
The January 2003 issue had the article on Metal Polishing the track.
Worked for me and it has saved money in NOT having to purchase those $100.00 cleaning cars!
While they do the JOB - CLEAN TRACK!
They do NOTHING to keep you from having to do it OVER & OVER & OVER etc.
The Metal Polish seals the track and the dirt doesn't affect the engine electrical pickup!
DO What you want
BUT I sure could use the money wasted on a Track Cleaning cars on more Rolling Stock or another new Engine!
YOUR CHOICE! ;-)
BOB H - Clarion, PA
MY 2 cents-If you can reach your track to wipe it with a solvent soaked rag, then save your money.
LION has thought and thought about track cleaning cars. With 14 miles of tracks, it does make you think. But I have never bought such a thing. MY home made jobs always derailed and/or were inefectual. Good ones are too expensive (for a LION) and chaep ones are not worth it. But LION has no power problems (what with 48 wheel pick-up) and so this has become a low priority item.
Things like Whal Oil have a good reputation among many (a dust collector according to others) but works well for this LION. Put a few drops every mile or two and let the train distribute it about the layout.
With old brass rail, rigorius track cleaning was a must ast the brass oxide did not conduct electricity. With Nickel Silver rail this is less important since the NiS oxide does conduct electricty just fine thank you.
Your money, Your choice. My money (such as there is) stays in my wallet.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
LOL, I bet you get a bunch of responses and that's good. Everyone has experience in this area. Here are a couple of links to products I use.
I set up a consist with one of the rubbing type in front of the loco, a centerline roller behind loco(with fluid) and then another rubbing type. A KEY thing I like to use is Mobil1 Synthetic automatic transmission fluid. In my approx 3 decades with HO it is the best thing I've done and I've tried probably everything out there to even painstakingly polishing the track with various silver polishes and an electric buffer--lol.
https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/931-1752
http://www.centerline-products.com/catalog.html
A few guys like the CMX which combines what I do into one car really. But I have found having more than one car with the rubbing action helps and having it seperated from the fluid car. I might actually prefer using this in place of the CenterLIne car, but with the MObil 1.
https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/226-CMXHO
Since I've started using the Synth ATF, I really don't clean my track that often anymore. Almost all of our locos are sound equipped DCC and so sensitive to clean track.
Richard
I use the CMX track cleaning car and it works pretty well. I fill it with Acetone (do not use near open flames) and run it for 5 minuts on each line. It's nice and heavy and works on DC and DCC. Some people use a mix of cars to try and cover all basis. There are some cars that have a a "vacuum" in them, but to my knowledge, they do not work on DCC.
The N scale section of my website is now uploaded with a lot of various things. Check it out: www.CarlettaTrains.com
Many people believe the best track cleaning car available is the CMX Clean Machine filled with lacquer thinner or similar solvent.
There are 20 or so other track cleaning cars on the market, but many of them are ineffective.
My ho layout is 12'x12' with 3 main lines. It is all nic/sil code 100 flex track. I want to buy track cleaning cars. I have no experience with this operation. Could someone advise me on what kind of cars to use and how many I should use.
thanx in advance
CCG (Corbin city george)