Flitz/track cleaning

[Anonymous]

Of all the articles published in MR, I found this the cheapest and most valuable to me.
I quote the article all over the World. Well done Greg!

That MAAS cleans so well that I had to lay off the $99 Tonys Clean Machine and eventually sold him to another road.
It need not be expensive to clean track, just a little hand power.

[Glen1]

It was my article that was published in MR a while ago. It's gratifying to see that there is still some discussion regarding using metal polish as a track cleaner. I'm not sure what the concerns would be with using it but, as others have mentioned, just don't dump it on the rails. You will get the excess running down the sides. MAAS, which I use, dries to an off-white color. That's not as strange looking as green, but it's undesireable anyway.

By the way, I never meant to give the impression that MAAS was the only cleaner to use or that it was superior to other brands in any way. That's the one that was on the shelf when I went looking for something and I decided to give it a try. I'm sure that there are other brands that will work just as well.

I'm sure that many people will devise their own technique for applying the cleaner. In my case, I rub a small amount of the cleaner onto a rag, usually an old shirt. I then wrap that around a Bright Boy and proceed to rub it over the rails. Usually, the railheads come up looking like chrome. If I do find a particularily dirty area, I'll use the Bright Boy to clean it. I then use the metal polish on that area again since I don't want to leave the surface scratches caused by the abrasive block. It's those scratches that help cause the rails to get dirty.

If your club is still concerned about it, try a small section first and see how it goes. I'm sure that when you see how long the track stays clean you'll be encouraged to do the whole job.

As I mentioned in the article, anything that reduces the amount of time we spend cleaning track means more time to run trains.

Glen Scholey

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cacole

The easiest and best I have found is Magic Wadding Polish

Forgot I had some. Will have to retest.

[cacole]

The easiest and best I have found is Magic Wadding Poli***hat you can get at an automotive parts department, because it is marketed as a cleaner for mag wheels, chrome, etc. Flitz, Maas, and others require that you first apply the polish, then remove it. Wadding Polish does not require removal, just application, so it goes faster. They all do the same thing, really, as far as polishing metal and keeping the track clean for a much longer period of time than Goo Gone or other liquid cleaner applied with a track cleaning car.

[tomwatkins]

Excellent thread, with good useful information. I've been holding off trying metal polish on my railheads, but now I will.
Thanks,
Tom Watkins

[cmrproducts]

I have used the metal polish (any brand) on my 2600 feet of track and only have to clean the track once a year if then!

Some modelers can not get out of the old Lionel steel track cleaning mode in having to use some sort of abrasive and then wipe the track down.

Those days are gone and having to use some type of liquid cleaner is fast being a thing of the past (unless YOU like to clean track)!

I too, thought that the only way to keep the track clean was using track cleaning cars and track drags. I had them all and even made some of my own. They went in the trash, that is how sure I was once the metal polish proved itself in not having to clean the layout in over a year, where we usually had to clean the track before every OPs session (every other week)

It's your choice spent most of your time cleaning the track or running trains.

BOB H Clarion, PA

[Anonymous]

MR JAN 03.
I use the MAAS metal paste cleaner, $3.50 at Walmart.
I cut 6" long, 2" wide strips of old t-shirt 100% cotton material. Wrap it around a small block about the size of a brite boy.
Fits good between the thumb & forefinger. Apply the cleaner to the lengthwise edge of the BB and drag across the top rail.
Let slightly dry and with an untreated strip around the BB, wipe off. This way you don't get it all over where you don't want it..
I also use it on my loco wheels by flipping the engine over, connect a pair of power leads, throttle up and apply/wipe.
I used this cleaning method on a 35 year old Lional HO steamer that was never cleaned and WOW!
It need not be expensive to clean track/wheels

[sparkingbolt]

I used it too, it polished the railheads fine, but make sure you don't use an excess cuz the residue will turn green on the sides of the railheads in time. That didn't cause any running problems, just looked funny. Use sparingly. Dan

[Virginian]

As good a track cleaner as is made. But, I find I don't need it. A little laquer thinner on a cloth does it for me with less effort. But Flitz will really take off anything.

[Anonymous]

I recall some time ago in one of the MRR mags that somebody has tried using Flitz as a track cleaner and was more than happy with the results. I can't find the article but, I just bought a tube of Flitz anyway with the intent of using it as a track cleaner. Any reason why I should not? Some members of the club that I belong to are very apprehensive about using it and caused me to have some second thoughts about it.

Stumperr1939