Hi,
For several months I thought about buying Micromart's HO track cleaning extension rod (they also have it for other gauges). It is a three piece sectional aluminum rod (ala gun cleaning rod) with a cylinder shaped abrasive block on the end. This "track cleaner on a stick" sells for $20, and two extra heads are another $16.
As I have been wrestling with cleaning up some hard to reach trackage on my HO layout, I finally broke down and bought it.
It arrived last week and it is certainly a quality, heavy duty item, and very solid. I tested it on my portable test track and it passed with flying colors. Then I tried it on my corner and tunnel trackage (about 2 1/2 feet from my hand's reach) and it worked beautifully. My test for clean track is to lightly run your finger (and/or finger nail) down the rails and it left them very slippery. The abrasive head seems to be at least as fine grained as a Bright Boy, and therefore should not harm the track.
ENJOY,
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I was also looking at it for a while. It looked like it would work fine if you had a straight shot at the track, but how does it work if you are 90 degrees to the track? Jerry
I've been using that track cleaning rod for several years now, and it works extremely well in tight clearances, without knocking over trackside details. I've got several fairly long curved tunnels on my layout, and it cleans them all extremely well. In fact, I use it for track cleaning on just about 99% of my MR with a lot of success, and I've got some really TIGHT scenery clearances. Haven't uprooted a tree, yet, LOL! And Micromark also offers replacement heads now, so if it starts wearing down too much, you can just replace the head and you're back in business. I like it. And the abrasive on the cleaning heads seems actually finer than the Brite Boy--actually closer to that of a pencil eraser. Two or three passes and you're in business.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Will amen that tool. I have the CMX track cleaning car, and while it does a good job, that extension tool certainly has a place of its own on my railroad.
Bob
If the track is hidden and straight, you can easily feel your way to clean it. If its curved, its more difficult but if the rod will reach it, you can do it. I guess that's the main criteria, if the rod can reach it, and you can get some leverage, you should be able to clean the track. By the way, the rod is very substantial - much stronger than expected.
I've been using a Bright Boy bolted to a length of sturdy dowel. (Drill a hole thru the center of the Brite Boy and thru the dowel about a half inch from the end.) The Brite Boy can be rotated as it wears or can be screwed flat across the end of the dowel to rub both tracks at once.
It works great for cleaning under trolley wire too.
Replace the Brite Boy with a NMRA gauge and it helps check out tight spots like tunnels and between the layers of a helix.
mobilman44 wrote: The abrasive head seems to be at least as fine grained as a Bright Boy, and therefore should not harm the track.
If I drop $115 + tax + shipping on a CMX track cleaning car, why would (should) I buy a this tool? I share the concerns of previous posts concerning the straight shot needed to get into hidden track with a tool that sounds like a Bright Boy on a heavy duty telescoping car antenna mechanism.
I'm almost ready to drop $$ on the CMX car, so I really want to know. Thanks.
onebiglizard wrote: If I drop $115 + tax + shipping on a CMX track cleaning car, why would (should) I buy a this tool? I share the concerns of previous posts concerning the straight shot needed to get into hidden track with a tool that sounds like a Bright Boy on a heavy duty telescoping car antenna mechanism. I'm almost ready to drop $$ on the CMX car, so I really want to know. Thanks.
Actually, I've found that the rod enables you to angle it in rather well. I don't have very much straight track on my MR, and a lot of the trackage is in cuts and on cliffsides, to say nothing of the fact that every tunnel I've got is on a curve. I can angle the rod in from one side, and then the other, and not worry about hitting or damaging the portals. Of course, I should say that my track radius is between 34-36" so that would have a lot to do with it, I suppose. But it is a very handy tool for getting into those tight places, and as I said before, the 'grit' on the cleaning head itself is much finer than a Brite Boy. I also have a track cleaning car that I use, but this Micromark tool seems to do little better job on some spots.
It's really all up to what YOU want--but this Micromark tool certainly has its advantages.
I've tried a lot of track cleaning ideas over the last 50 or so years, and am convinced that there is no single solution to keeping the railheads clean and conducive to electrical contact.
This Micromart "stick" is terrific for those hard to reach places - especially those with hard to remove by other means gunk on the railheads. I wanted to share my positive experience with it - for the subject of track cleaning comes up a lot here on the Forum.
I also have the Centerline "brass flywheel with the solvent soaked towel around it" track cleaning car which is pretty good for routine cleaning. But even with that, there is often a residue left that requires a little help with the ol 0-5-0 switcher, a rag, and a little alcohol.
Hey, FWIW...................
Johnnny_reb Once a word is spoken it can not be unspoken!
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If you have any places where you stand alongside your layout looking at it with track extending to either side, I guess you are going to be at a 90 degree angle to the track. So, if that is what you want to know about, I can tell you that the Micro-Mark tool works fine. Having long arms helps, obviously. I clean the length and breadth of a five track yard with it regularly.
John Timm
It's about time that someone came out with a track cleaner with a finer abrasive than the Brite Boy. Not only is the BB coarse enough to scratch the rail heads, the abrasive sheds and can get into points, axle bearings, and may even accelerate wheel wear.
Thanks for the heads-up.
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
Johnnny_reb wrote:Thats easy bend the track 90 degrees.
jerryl wrote: Johnnny_reb wrote:Thats easy bend the track 90 degrees. I'm sorry, I thought I asked the question correctly.... How would you have asked it?
Jerry--
Sorry to jump in here, I should have been a little clearer on MY answer. Yes, it works very well at a 90-degree angle. As I said, most of my track is curved with fairly tight clearances, and I'm often working at anywhere from a 45 to 90 degree angle. One of the advantages of the rod is that it comes apart so that it can be used at several lengths. I have a couple of places where my trackage goes into a TIGHT cut, and by adjusting the length of the rod I can get in there and use it without having to try and fit my hand in there at the same time (as I might have to using a Brite Boy). Like I said, I use it in conjunction with my track-cleaning car to clean difficult spots. You might not need it as a PRIMARY track-cleaner, but believe me, it's worth the money for hitting those spots that never really seem to get cleaned enough.
And since I have a garage railroad that is fairly un-insulated, liquid track cleaners only seem to collect dirt and gunk while they clean, leaving the rails in almost worse condition than before, so I really need a dry track cleaner. This works extremely well for me, especially since the cleaning head is a much finer grit than the Brite Boy. It may not be the Ultimate Answer--actually, what track cleaner IS?--but it sure has solved a lot of problems for me.
Hi!
Sorry if I didn't come back on that.........
If you can: reach the trackage with the head of the cleaning rod, and if you can apply downward force, and if you can apply sideways motion (if needed), then you can clean that trackage. If you want to experiment before you buy, get a 30 inch dowel and see if you can reach the trackage in question, and apply said force. If you can, I'd say to buy one. If you can't, then don't.
Again, the resulting cleaned trackage (using this tool) is extremely bright and smooth!