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Any suggestions for track cleaning erasers?

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Any suggestions for track cleaning erasers?
Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:40 PM

Hi gang:

My model railroading club is located in the back of a commercial wood working shop. The layout is poorly protected from the airborn dust. It is a less than ideal situation to say the least but the club is small so paying more rent for a better location isn't feasible.

The result is that the tracks have to be cleaned every week. Bright boy style cleaners have been ruled out because they would leave a rough surface which will hold the dust even more.

We want something that will work quickly. Using the masonite pad style of track cleaning car would work but it would take several laps to get everything off the tracks. Half a dozen guys can rub the track down in a few minutes.

So, what do you suggest we use. I'm thinking of something like ink erasers but they have abrasives in them too.

FYI, we have a roller style track cleaning car which runs most of the time, and the track is all within easy reach.

Thanks for your suggestions.

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 MisterBeasley on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:44 PM

If dust is the problem and all the track is easily accessible, how about a vacuum cleaner?

I use a CMX machine with lacquer thinner as the cleaning agent.  But, I've got tunnels that are awkward to reach with anything else.  The CMX works very well for me, but it does take some time to loop over every track a few times.  I push it back and forth over the yard tracks manually because it's quicker that way.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:53 PM

Hi MisterBeasley:

Vacuuming is certainly an option. There is a shop vac but I don't believe the club has a small hand held vacuum which would be much more suited to the task.

Thanks

Dave

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Posted by 7j43k on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:58 PM

When I use an eraser style track cleaner, I use a "Pink Pearl".  It's definitely not as abrasive as a bright boy.

But, ya know, I don't think you need ANY type of abrasive stuff.

Certainly, a vacuum is something to consider.  I think Atlas, for one, made one.  Or you might make your own out of some sort of battery powered keyboard vacuum.

 

 

I've observed there's different kinds of track cleaning:

the rail is old nasty and oxidized--I'd try the Pink Pearl.  But some sort of abrasiveness is going to be needed to clean it up.

 

the rail is covered with assorted gunk but is not oxidized--lately, I've been using coffee filters.  They're cheap.  The don't have lint (like paper towels).  And they're cheap.  I use the small Chemex style, which are just folded up square paper.  The paper is coarse enough to do a little scraping on the rail surface, but isn't significantly abrasive.

I made a wood block the right size and tapered/rounded the appropriate corners.  I cut the filter to the right size.  I rub a bunch and marvel at the black stripes.

I suppose you could put some solvent on the paper, but I don't see why.  Do you have something that needs disolving?  Or just removing.

 

 

Ed

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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 9:10 PM

Ed:

Coffee filters! Now there's an interesting idea. I don't think the track is badly oxidized. Its just dusty.

Thanks for the suggestion of the 'Pink Pearl' erasers too.

Dave

 

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Posted by Graham Line on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 9:40 PM

Micro Engineering makes a good track cleaning block that won't damage rail. Our club uses them in addition to a track cleaning train with a Masonite slider car followed by the CMX tank, and then the heavy brass roller with Handi-Wipes to clean up.

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Posted by selector on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 9:41 PM

A small block of wood should do the trick.  Just angle it forward and down to touch the rails, and then scrub.  Be careful around gaps, guard rails, frogs, and points.

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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 10:09 PM

selector:

Never thought of a simple block of wood! Good idea. I like the price.

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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  • From: Bradford, Ontario
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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 10:11 PM

Graham Line:

I have looked at the Micro Engineering track cleaners but I was worried about how abrasive they might be. I'll get one to try myself.

Thanks

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 RR_Mel on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 10:25 PM

I use a small Lowes Shop Vac for general track and layout dust cleaning:
 
 
To get to tight areas I use a Harbor Freight attachment on the Lowes Shop Vac:
 
 
I use a CMX with ACT-6006 for track cleaning followed by a caboose with a dragger pad.
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 10:35 PM

Thanks Mel:

The Harbor Freight vacuum attachment is definitely worth considering. The small hose would be much easier to control than a regular shop vac hose.

Cheers!

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 G Paine on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 10:50 PM

We bought this 1.5 gal Shop Vac last year for Boothbay Railway Village. It has strong suction and is light enough to carry around with one hand. Has bags for the dust Everyone likes it a lot

Got it at WalMart, Lowes and Home Depot have them as well. Cost about $35

https://www.shopvac.com/product/shop-vac-wet-dry-vac-catnum:2030127

 

George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch 

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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 11:28 PM

Thanks George.

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 hobo9941 on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 11:33 PM

If it's just dust, half a dozen guys with cotton pads and alcohol should do it in a few minutes. Or maybe you could just cover the layout carefully with those thin plastic painter drop cloths from Walmart when you leave. I cover my layout with them when I go to Florida for the winter and I have a lot less dust on the layout now, when I come back.

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Posted by RR_Mel on Thursday, October 20, 2016 10:32 AM

hon30critter

Thanks Mel:

The Harbor Freight vacuum attachment is definitely worth considering. The small hose would be much easier to control than a regular shop vac hose.

Cheers!

Dave

 

I went to Home Depot and picked up some clear plastic tubing the same diameter to extend the Harbor Freight hose, an additional 3’ to 5’ helps a lot.  The hose that came with the mini vac is a bit short, the Shop Vac hose is much harder to control than the smaller hose.
 
I made a belt clip to hold the larger hose where the mini hose attaches to the large hose, that frees up both hands and prevents dinging my scenery.  If you need more suction put a small piece of tape over the vent holes in the adapter, it doesn't ding the Shop Vac.
 
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
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Posted by floridaflyer on Thursday, October 20, 2016 11:34 AM

I'm with hobo, cotton cloths with alcohol and cover the layout. the amount of dust that collects on the rails also collects on the entire layout. You are going to have a bunch of dust on the entire layout over time. bunch of guys can wipe down the track in no time. And covering the layout reduces the dust everywhere. Masonite sliders are also usefull in removing oxidation as the trains are run. 

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Posted by PRR8259 on Thursday, October 20, 2016 11:55 AM

I say lose the erasers and just use the Atlas or Bachmann (whichever you prefer or have available to you) electrically conductive lubricant--it works very well as a track cleaner and does not hurt painted finishes (excess evaporates, too).

Maybe once every couple months I quickly wipe off most track with a paper towel.

I use a little ConductaLube on the track almost every time I run.  It keeps loco wheels clean for good conductivity.

John

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Posted by BRAKIE on Thursday, October 20, 2016 2:32 PM

I use 91% alcohol with shotgun cleaning pads and as needed a Walthers Bright Boy.

In order to see those scratches supposedly left by Bright Boys  a microscope at 10x was needed so saith the article.

Oddly this article was around the time those $99.00 track cleaning cars started showing up in hobby shops.

Larry

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Posted by 7j43k on Thursday, October 20, 2016 7:00 PM

BRAKIE

I use 91% alcohol with shotgun cleaning pads and as needed a Walthers Bright Boy.

 

 

 

The only reason I can see for using an abrasive cleaner on track is if the surface is badly oxidized.  And yet nickel silver's advantage over brass is supposed to be that it never oxidizes.  Therefore there is never a reason to use abrasives.  Like Bright Boy.

Now, if you've got dust, slime, oil, grease, filth, gunge, etc., the way to get that up is with something like 91% alcohol on a pad.  Shotgun, rifle, pistol, coffee filter.  Whatever.

Or vacuums.  They work good on LOOSE stuff.  Not on slime, oil, grease, filth, gunge, etc.

 

Ed

 

 

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Posted by BRAKIE on Thursday, October 20, 2016 8:28 PM

7j43k
The only reason I can see for using an abrasive cleaner on track is if the surface is badly oxidized. And yet nickel silver's advantage over brass is supposed to be that it never oxidizes. Therefore there is never a reason to use abrasives. Like Bright Boy.

I should have mention the switch frogs seems to gather black streaks from time to time  and thus the need for a bright boy.I use the end of the BB.

Of course if one does scenery work a Bright Boy will make short work of any glue,plaster or paint residue.

A Bright Boy isn't a evil thing as its portrayed to be.I been using them for over 60 years.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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Posted by hon30critter on Thursday, October 20, 2016 9:26 PM

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will discuss them the next time the club gets together.

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 doctorwayne on Thursday, October 20, 2016 10:22 PM

If the track (and the layout) is dusty, abrasive pads, or anything else that simply pushes the dust around won't do much good.  Yeah, it'll clean the rails,but how long before the dust builds up on the ties until it's as high as the top of the rails? Stick out tongue

In my opinion, a shop vac with the brush attachment it the best choice:  it'll clean the rails, ties, and roadbed, and can also be used to clean the locomotives, rolling stock, and structures, too.  The small handheld vacs usually have a vacuum head too wide for many layout situations, and the even smaller ones intended for layouts have too little capacity to do the job efficiently.
While my layout is in a fairly clean environment, the only cleaning tool suitable for all layout room cleaning is my shop vac:  trains, structures, track, and scenery (not the trees, though), and all general cleaning of the room, too...  mostly the concrete floor, but also the occasional cobwebs which show up where walls meet the suspended ceiling.  I also use the vacuum to clean dust off the top side of the clear panels under the fluorescent light fixtures.

With the club's layout subject to constant dust, it might make cleaning a little easier if, at the end of each operation session, all trains were parked in the same general area where they could all be cleaned at the same time.  This would also leave the rest of the layout clear for its vacuuming session - might speed-up the job, at least.

Wayne

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Posted by hon30critter on Thursday, October 20, 2016 11:06 PM

Hi Warne:

I wondered about the erasers just pushing stuff around, although they do seem to work when used on sections where the locomotives are stalling.

The layout is quite old and although the dust isn't quite up to the tops of the rails the layout is filthy. I would like to establish a routine where the track is cleaned at the beginning of every session, hence the need to consider what method(s) would be best. What happens now is that somebody will come in, put a train on the tracks and start to run it. Everyone else pretty much stands around. After repeated stalls the decision will eventually be made to clean the track, but with what? That's what I want to get the club to discuss. Let's clean the track properly first, then run trains.

I will investigate getting an adapter system for the shop vac too.

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 Graham Line on Friday, October 21, 2016 1:10 AM

Nice thing about clubs is there can be a lot of labor available. We operate on two days toward the end of the month, and the Monday before ops, there is usually one guy vacuuming track with one of the lightweight vacuums mentioned and two people running track cleaning trains, one east and one west. The main is about 500' and has several sidings.

About every other month someone will get out the Big Mama shop vac (we built a cart so it rolls around easily) and do the floors. After about six months of this routine, the railroad room started staying pretty clean.

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Posted by doctorwayne on Friday, October 21, 2016 3:07 AM

Dave, I probably should have mentioned that the shop vac which I'm using isn't one meant for a construction site, where it's needed to vacuum-up 2"x4"s and cement blocks. 
The label on the body says 4 gallons, but they must be those puny American gallons.  The hose is 1½" in diameter and the extensions for it are sized commensurately.  The brush is from an old upright, oval in shape and  about 2½" wide and 1½" long - a good size for doing the track and ballast shoulders in one pass.

Wayne

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Posted by hon30critter on Friday, October 21, 2016 3:18 AM

Thanks Wayne.

Somewhere I have a small shop vac with a 1 1/2" hose. I thought of giving it to the club but that would be foolish because I'm going to need it myself, hopefully fairly soon.

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 BRAKIE on Friday, October 21, 2016 6:09 AM

doctorwayne
If the track (and the layout) is dusty, abrasive pads, or anything else that simply pushes the dust around won't do much good. Yeah, it'll clean the rails,but how long before the dust builds up on the ties until it's as high as the top of the rails?

Doc,Here's one for you.

First close your eyes and picture a old damp cinder block building with a crack in the wall that's heated by fuel oil in the winter.You can stand next to the crack and see outside.

Got the picture?

The layout is used twice a year and the remaining time its being upgraded and can be weeks/months before being used..

Enter a member that places a train on the layout and runs it without cleaning the track and has no problems running his train.

I know this for fact because I was a member for several years..

And yes,the crack was finally filled last year.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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Posted by hon30critter on Friday, October 21, 2016 6:39 AM

Larry!

You have to tell us more! How was the track kept clean?!?

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 BroadwayLion on Friday, October 21, 2016 9:53 AM

LION is looking for some cleaning equipment. Him needs to be careful since him has third rails that could be damaged by something that is too wide at the curves.

Him is thinking to get some candle wick, and use it to wick cleaning fluid to the wheels of the car. let the wheels clean the tracks.

ROAR

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Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by BRAKIE on Friday, October 21, 2016 10:12 AM

hon30critter

Larry!

You have to tell us more! How was the track kept clean?!?

Dave

 

Dave,The only time the track was clean was during the tractor show open house and during the week of the county fair..Other then that nothing.

We used 91% alcohol,rags and metal round T shape rod for cleaning inside tunnels and other hard to reach areas.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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