Layouts and layout building

While browsing the MicroMark catalog I saw they carry Flitz metal polish in a tube for $12.  Out in the garage I have an old 3.4 oz bottle of Flitz but it is a McDonald’s milkshake consistency liquid.  Has anyone used Flitz for this purpose?  Will the liquid work as well as the thicker (and more expensive) stuff in a tube?  I live on an island, less than a block from the Gulf, and salt air raises havoc with my track which now requires weekly cleaning via alcohol.  I'm running out of old T-shirts and somewhat desperate to find a better method for this seemingly endless track cleaning task.  I'm also not somewhat cheap and don't want to spend money for the tube of Flitz if the bottle I have will do the job as well.  Anyone out there used this stuff?                                                                         Roy 

I use the liquid and it does work well, although it can be tricky to remove from the web (side) of the rail if you get too much on.  A first application and removal and then a second one in a day or so works really well.  Improved my DCC operation (no "lost" signal) and it leaves the rail head shiny and smooth.  I have applied it once only and that was about six months ago or more.  Now granted, I only run a train about once or twice a week, sometimes less due to work schedules and such, but the track has remained clean and viable so far, with only two light uses of the Bright Boy in the duration and then only to remove deposits around switch points, etc.

It is also available at ACE Hardware stores.  It should be about the consistency of a thin milkshake, and it should have a slight bluish green tint to it.  Unlike the tube's directions, the liquid's directions are slightly different....follow them to the letter and you will be okay.

 All I have ever used to clean track is a Briteboy which Micromark sells the biggest one's I've ever seen and a home made track cleaning car. Some of the commercial track cleaning cars work very well from what I've been told but all I have is a John Allen special as I call it. A piece of Masonite mounted under a freight car with a couple of springs from a ball point pen mounted on a couple of machine screws.

Shouldn't cost you more then a few nickles to build. here are a couple of links on how to.

http://wpporter.duckburg.us/trackcleaner.htm

 http://www.finescalerr.com/outdoor_railroader_articles/build-a-track-cleaning-car.htm

You may be dealing with an almost unsolvable problem in that any substance that coats the track suffient to block oxidation may well also interfere with electrical conductivity.  I do not know that for certain, but it would be my principal concern if I were in your place.

That said, there is an excellent metal protectant called Renaissance Wax that is used to protect metal surfaces that are prone to oxidation.  It is in used by museums and collectors in many contries to protect valuable antiques guns and swords.  An internet search might turn up additional information.  It's kinda pricy e.g., $10 for a 1 oz tube, but a little goes a long way and lasts.  Heavy train traffic would ultimately take its toll, but if it works the reapplication would be time well spent.

Good luck.

Roy,

If you have the stuff, give it a try.  If your track is brass, the oxidation problem may be a little worse than if you had nickel silver rail.  The stuff works great on either, but realy shows its stuff on nickel silver rail. 

What I found with the stuff is that it tends to help in regard to allowing the DCC signal and electrical current to get to the wheels, even when the track looks dirty.  With so much airborne junk, you might need to polish the rails a little more than normal.  Also do the pickup wheels on your locomotives, and any metal wheels on your cars. 

As a good maintenance point, try to eliminate any plastic wheelsets and replace them with metal ones. 

I would try polishing a 3 or 4 foot section of track and see how it stands up to the dirt, etc.  If it does well, then clean the entire layout.  Use a clean chamois to remove the accumulated dirt, etc.

let me know how it works under tough conditions.

Good luck! 

I agree with the previous poster.  Test a section using what you have.  Since you have to clean your tracks often, a short test section will give you results quickly.

On another thread (maybe even on another forum...grin) there have been several discussions regarding gleaming.  Those that have tried it are satisfied with the results.  One modeler suggested using a product called No-Ox (available from Walthers and other places) along with the gleam process.  No-Ox treats the rails chemically to inhibit corrosion.  Reportedly, it does NOT inhibit electrical conductivity.

I have gleamed my whole layout and haven't cleaned the tracks in over two years.  I have a jar of No-Ox but haven't used any yet.  I will be appling some to a test section just to see how it works.

Gleam a test section using your Flitz polish and let us know what you learn from the experience.

Darrell, quiet...for now

The term "gleaming" seems to have gotten mis-understood. The term was originally coined for the burnishing process, not the polishing process which is done AFTER the rails have been burnished.

Do a search for "gleam" and you will get the answers you need. I burnished my track nearly five years ago and haven't needed to clean it since. Once in a while I'll run a couple masonite pad cars to clean off the dust as my layout only gets run maybe once a month.

Mark.

Mark, I agree with your comment about the original definition of "gleaming".  Like many other specific definitions though, I think "gleaming" has come to mean the "process of gleaming", or at least that's the way I've been thinking about it.  The "process" would include all the steps involved (sanding, burnishing, polishing).

Any way you look at it, gleaming really cleans the rails.  I'm into my third year after gleaming and haven't had to clean the tracks again.  A little touch-up here and there from time to time.  I'm a firm believer in the process!

Darrell, quiet...for now

I'm ready to begin the  the test having made a run over to the mainland to obtain a suitable washer for the burnishing and a few more sheets of 600 wet/dry sandpaper.  I will report back as soon as I have some results.  A minor issue but I will miss the dull brown rail heads which disappears during the initial sanding.  Most of what will be visible track is Micro Engineer's weathered code 83 and I had become use to the drab finish (which withstood alcohol).  A small sacrifice to a good running train- Thanks again,    Roy

Roy, only the tops of the railheads should be sanded, so any painting and weathering done to the sides of the rails should still be there.

Having shiny railheads is very prototypical, especially on mainline trackage.

 I am not familiar with Micro Engineering's weathered rail.  Is it chemically weathered?  Just wondering if the weathering applied to the rail could be causing conductivity problems.

Darrell, quiet...for now

I may be too late with this recommendation, but if your track is relatively new - don't start sanding the railheads with 600 grit paper !  The idea is to progressively sand the rails to smooth out all the original nicks and scratches. If the rail is reasonably new to start with, it should be relatively smooth to start with.

What you are doing is starting with the coasest paper needed to remove the existing pits and scratch marks. Some people might need to start with 800 grit if the track is old and marked up. If the track is relatively new, start with 1200. you then need to work up through progressively finer grits - up to 1800 or 2000. you need to sand it to the point where there are no visible scratches, otherwise, you'll be burnishing your butt off and not getting the desired results as easily.

I've posted these pictures in "gleaming" threads before showing before and after the sanding and burnishing process ....

As you can see - the before rail was very rough and pitted requiring a coarser grit to start with in order to work out all the roughness. Newer track obviously wouldn't be this bad and woldn't require as coarse a grit to start with.

Also, as an aside .... when doing your final cleaning / polishing - don't forget to do the inside edge of the rail-head as well. Electrical contact also relies a great deal on the inside edge as well, not just the top !

Mark.

Hi Mark,

Mark is probably right with his grit selections and the reasons for them.

I must not have the patience to progress through several grits!  LOL  When I did my layout, I used what I had on hand - 600 grit.  But I used wet/dry paper, not regular sandpaper.  I don't know why, but the wet/dry paper seems to have a different grit rating.  The 600 worked well for me.  Most of my track was not only old but had also suffered many generous applications of a brite boy eraser cleaner!  Ouch!

On the rest of your layout, follow the suggestions Mark outlined, especially if the track is new or nearly new.

I take it that the Flitz worked well, then?  Glad to know that.  I still prefer the Mother's paste polish since I don't have to rush to buff the rails.  Just a preference.  Probably no difference with the final results.

Darrell, quiet...for now

I have no experience with the liquid Flitz as I used the paste in a tube.

I did the Gleaming technique about three years ago on my N scale garage bound layout, but still needed occasional wipe downs with alcohol. Not a big deal until I needed to do the hidden staging where it is very difficult to reach. So a guy named Gary on another forum sent me a tea spoon of no-ox to try. So its been 7 months and my track cleaning now includes one step, vacuuming only. The no-ox actually treats the metal so if you apply or run your locos in the freshly applied no-ox they will also get the treatment. Also any plastic wheels will cause gunk issues so remove them from the layout if you can. They produce static and draw particles to them.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/171-226

http://www.sourcetelsupply.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=131&osCsid=fe14a1efd3c97e6192cbf63e9d768ab6

Both of the above will include application instructions, an explanation of how it works, and maybe a surprise as to who used it in the past.

http://electrical-insulators-and-copper-ground-bars.com/no-ox-id-a.html

Try it and be amazed to the fact that you will be able to walk up to the layout after months of sitting, vacuum and run trains.