Cleaning Track

[ezmike]

Picked up over 60 pieces of Lionel post-war track. Looks like they need a good cleaning. Some have some rust on the sides of the rails but none on the top. Besides the usual track cleaners by Lionel and MTH, what do you guys recommend to clean them up and get rid of the rust?

Jump right in!

[RR Redneck]

The best remedy for dirty tracks that have been sittin unused is very fine sand paper or emery paper. If you are talkin regular scheduled maintenance, I HIGHLY recommend trying (and using) acne pads. The combination of the textured "cloth" pad and the alcohol mixture eats through any amount of accumulated gunk from average runnin.

[csxt30]

I was told to never use sandpaper on tinplate track when I first started. You don't want to remove the tinplating.

[ezmike]

How do you suggest attacking the oxidation on the sides of the rails and the rust. The rust isn't the pitted type, just enough to want to make you remove it.

[msacco]

My order of attack on old track when I use it is:

1) use scotchbrite

2) use very fine wet sandpaper gently. I use it dry but it's wet sanding paper.

 

Mike S.

 

[ben10ben]

Scotchbrite pads are good for getting rid of light rust without doing too much damage to the tinplating.

While it's true that you shouldn't use sandpaper on fresh tinplate track, if it's heavily rusted the tinplating is shot anyway so sanding it won't do any harm. If your track has heavy rust on it and you want to use it anyway, go ahead and sand away.

For  normal wet track cleaning, I like to use straight naptha, aka Ronsonal lighter fluid. It's a great solvent that will evaporate quickly and completely, thus having no risk of harming your traction tires. Just be sure it's all completely evaported(10-15 minutes should be safe) before you try to run anything-do otherwise and you'll find what it literally means to fire up your layout. 

[ezmike]

Thanks guys, sounds like a small doable project. I took some a scotchbright pad to a couple of pieces and with some rubbing the grime and oxidation seems to come off. Tomorrow I'll try it on some rust and see what happens. What about something like NOXON for the rust or that chrome posish for car bumpers (when cars had chrome bumpers) for the rust?

[spikejones52002]

Harbor Freight sell wire brushes with along handle very cheep.
After a good brushing, put WD40 on a rag and wipe over the rails.

[Frank53]

I seem to recall hearing that sandpaper was a huge no-no also as it related to chipping up metal particles, which your engines would then digest.

As for rust, keep in mind the critical area is the top of the rails. I have taken to trying to "weather" the sides of the rails using watered down burnt umber to give a weathered look.

As for cleaning, I had good luck with WD-40, I also understand isopropyl works well, but have not tried it.

[Jumijo]

A Scotchbrite green kitchen pad works very well for removing rust and oxidation from track. It leaves it looking clean and shiny. Very good at removing the rust, too.

I use 90% isopropyl alcohol and a paper towel to clean my track. The alcohol cleans the track extremely well, removing all traces of blackness and builtup gunk. It also dries almost immediately, and to be honest, I've used it while trains are running with no ill effects.

Use the sandpaper as your last resort.

Jim 

[trainbrain]

WD-40 and a toothbrush did fine by me to get the rust off the sides of the rails.  Also,  a dremmel tool with a cleaning brush helps, too.

[laz 57]

I used a sand blaster with good results.

laz57

[ezmike]

 Frank's point of view never occurred to me. The "weathered look" might not be so bad. Since none of the rust is on top then a good cleaning is in order. So now armed with all of your responses I'm on a mission. The track purchase may not have been a bad idea after all. And now I have several alternative cleaners that might be cheaper than buying the Lionel or MTH products. Thanks guys!

[Demon09]

Hey all.... I just got a bunch of track off ebay that was pretty badly rusted.... I soaked it over night in vinegar and scrubbed it with a plastic scourging pad and a stiff plastic brush, it worked fairly well.

As for the sandpaper, if it is dirty and rusty it souldn't matter.  In fact, on Lionel's own website it suggests using sandpaper to clean stubborn spots....

"Rust can be removed with sandpaper. Non-metallic kitchen scouring pads work well too, but never use steel wool on track...." The rest we pretty much know already..... by the way, that article is at the bottom of the page at http://lionel.com/GettingStarted/Findex.cfm (hopefully that link works)

(I just checked that link, it doesn't go directly to the article, so if you click the "for the hobbyist" tab and go to the FAQ section and then go to cleaning old track it will show the full article)

[ChiefEagles]

Use to have old layout in basement.  Would get humid during the summer [due to airhandler being right at the layout].  Use wet/dry very fine sandpaper with fine results.  Used the same thing when I got track out of storage 2 1/2 years ago.  Some of the guys here are using that same track.  You don't rub the "heck" out of it, just remove the surface rust.

[USNRol]

When I use sandpaper I use 600 grit and it's just coarse enough to get the bad spots off and once the paper "Loads" up with the metal it actually starts to burnish and leaves a very smooth shiney finish.  Still I agree sandpaper should be used as a last resort.  When solvents can be used to clean your track use those. 

Roland

[Sturgeon-Phish]

I use alcohol on a scotchbrite.  Put a rag under the scotchbrite as the alcohol may soak through and drip.  After a rub down with the alcohol on scotchbrite a wipe with the drip rag and you are set to go.  Cheap easy and works.

Jim