I resently saw a video on YouTube on how to clean track. The fellow producing the video said not to use bright boys, because they scratch the track and make the accumulation of dirt happen faster, and also not to use alcohol because of something to do with fact that it is a polar molecule. He recommended some sort of other chemical that was also polar, but somehow better, even though he said it is very strong and will melt ties!
I clean my track simply, I first give it a good vacuum to remove any dust, and then rub it with a damp cloth to get that black stuff of the rails. Often I can just vacuum away the dust and my Arnold U28C runs without a hiccup, though it does have great electrical pickup.
I have also used denatured alcohol and 91% isopropyl alcohol in the past, often in combination with a vacuum, and had not issues.
I am curious if the are ways other find to work better (I’m certain there are). Please post below the ways you do (and do not) clean you track.
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
I use a CMX cleaner with lacquer thinner as the solvent. It's more "aggressive" than alcohol and does a better job. I have subway tunnels so rag cleaning isn't practical for me.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
We sure have been through this topic enough times.
Sounds like the same video I seen, is this where the guy used acetone?
And then followed the bright boy with a washer and gleemed the rails?
I think acetone has many uses, but not for track cleaning.
I do what Mr. B. does, lacquer thinner, and as far as scratching the track, if you have just layed brand new track, right out of the package, then I suggest not using the bright boy.
As far as gleeming, OK, if you want to.
I've never had any problems. Some seem to be plagued with track cleaning issues, according to their comments and threads, but I run my track car once and while, the first time is usually in the late Fall, when I'm back to the lay out, and done with out side projects, and most times, that's the only time I have to run it.
I do, however, clean the wheels on the locomotives on a some what more regular basis.
Mike.
My You Tube
No problems since I switched to S scale.
Paul
mbinsewi We sure have been through this topic enough times. Sounds like the same video I seen, is this where the guy used acetone? And then followed the bright boy with a washer and gleemed the rails? I think acetone has many uses, but not for track cleaning. I do what Mr. B. does, lacquer thinner, and as far as scratching the track, if you have just layed brand new track, right out of the package, then I suggest not using the bright boy. As far as gleeming, OK, if you want to. I've never had any problems. Some seem to be plagued with track cleaning issues, according to their comments and threads, but I run my track car once and while, the first time is usually in the late Fall, when I'm back to the lay out, and done with out side projects, and most times, that's the only time I have to run it. I do, however, clean the wheels on the locomotives on a some what more regular basis. Mike.
Yes, we’ve definitely got the same video!
I felt like it was kind of weird to use a chemical which can change the track gauge and make operations even less reliable when the whole point of cleaning track is to make it run better. I also don’t care much about shiny rails, the real ones rust a lot and only heavily used mains remain shiny.
I find similarly to you that once the dust is gone (I live in a very dusty place!) my trains run fine. I do have experience with others layouts that can’t stay clean. I must say layouts in garages or other places where the door to outdoors it open a lot need more cleaning than those in basements or spare bedrooms or other indoor places. It’s an important consideration when choosing a layout space!
I’ll have to look in to lacquer thinner, if two people do the same thing it’s probably worth a look!
I would also like to throw the idea out there that I someday we will be able to move to deadrail layouts. We already have control systems that like RailPro or Bluetoot that don’t use rails for control, just for power. If we can get batteries in such locomotives suddenly dead rail is suddenly a reality. I have seen a video on YouTube of a guy who put a battery in the fuel tank of a RailPro loco, and I know battery control is big in G scale. I can’t wait till we get smaller batteries and radio control decoders so our layouts can be dead rail. Suddenly we will be able to weather all sides of the rail as prototypically as we wish without out worry of conductivity and not to mention an end to complicated wiring with turnouts and reverse loops. Oh and of course we won’t have to clean rails anymore!
I must note that the CMX track cleaner seems to be popular, have to check it out, I haddn’t heard about it till today!
I have found that if you can keep your layout room (if you have such an area) clean, track cleaning is minimal or unnecessary.My layout is in its own finished room, which is vaccumed regularly to keep dust to a minimum.I use a fine abrasive block, meant for polishing electrical contacts, to clean rail after ballasting or adding scenery near the tracks. This is mainly to remove any white glue residue which might be on the rails.After that, a yearly vacuuming of the tracks with the brush attachment on my shop vac is enough to keep the trains running reliably. My layout is strictly DC, so perhaps not quite so fussy, electrically, as DCC.
Wayne
SPSOT fanI must note that the CMX track cleaner seems to be popular, have to check it out, I haddn’t heard about it till today!
Yea, it's an expensive little car, but those that have one swear by it. Of course if you have $150 plus tied up in a track cleaning car, I guess it's only natural to think it's the best.
I have a cheaper version, works just fine.
Don't smoke, and keep those who do outside. Don't go for smoking steam engines, either. These sources will make a mess of your whole layout, not just your track.
I ran my CMX car only two or three times a year, and it was fine. But, my trainroom had heat and AC and was in a living space, not a basement or garage.
If you look at two types of real rail...well used and not so used, the surface of the well used rail will be quite shiny and not so on the unused rail. I have found a similar scenario with my railroad....if I run trains a lot, no problem with dirt, and just the opposite if not run for long periods of time. Also the use of current keepers makes operation a lot more enjoyable.
HZ
Ugh! Another track cleaning post. I swear by rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) to clean the track. That stuff is chep, fast, and quite effective. I just put it on a cloth or even paper towel and rub it a few times along the track. I also use it to clean train wheels.