Track Cleaning, is it really clean ?

[Eriediamond]

With the topics of cleaning track posted to day, and the past post of switch electrical problems that have been posted, I thought I'd throw this into the mix also. My belief is that most of us do a pretty good job of cleaning our rails, but how many have given thought that we are only cleaning the tops of the rails. we need to be thinking of the way electrical flow is created in our switches and that needs cleaning as well. Some switches use spring pressure to hold the switch point against the stock rail for electrical pick up and some use a tab attached to the switch point that contacts the bottom of the stock rail. These points of contact are subject to dirt and arcing and must be kept clean for trouble free operation also but are often neglected. I use a product called "tuner cleaner" from Radio Shack and spray it directly on those tabs and points and cycle the switch a few times and have had great results with it. I also use it to clean my loco motors, does a grat job if you have the motor running when you use it. It dries almost instantly, so lubrication is a must after using it on those motors. Anyhow just some thoughts to share with you. Thanks, Ken

[retsignalmtr]

i joined a club a few months ago and although i model in N scale i have some equipment from my HO days. i made some track cleaning cars with the masonite pads that slide on the tops of the rails and i run them around the clubs HO layout and they work very well and the rail tops shine very nicely. on my home layout i use the bright boy on the tops and insides of the rail and then use goo gone wiped on with a clean lintless rag and i don't have any dirty track problems. be careful with tuner cleaners. they might attack some plastics and will disolve paint. i don't have any problems with my switches except when gluing ballast. i have been experimenting with soldering a strand of wire between the point and stock rail. it does'nt retard the movement of the rails. i do it before installation.