Layouts and layout building

I saw a recent post about what to use for gluing down ballast. What about a recommendation for cleaning ballast from old track? I picked up some turnouts on Ebay and they're in great condition, just need to clean out some old ballast from between the ties. Could I dunk them in something to dissolve the glue and not harm the rails? 

Thanks
Barry

New Orleans, LA  

 I just knocked out the ballast with a screw driver and hit the bottom with some 150 grit sand paper. DON'T USE LACQUER THINNER! It will make the ties soft if not melt them. Well the thinner I use for painting 1:1 cars will.

                 Cuda Ken

Thanks for the tips, folks. 

>>If the track is brass, it's a collector's item...  good one.
Actually it's all NS so I'll give Jeffrey's plain water tip a try. Hey Jeffery, great to meet another LA modeler here. I'm in the burbs just outside New Orleans.

Barry

I have used ScotchBrite with soap and water on old brass track. (30 to 40 year old stuff).   It seem to clean just about everything.   The rails look like new.

                                                         - cheapskate Rich