Hi, what is the difference between an ink eracer and a track cleaning block? I just bought an ink eracer and they feel the same.
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
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I'm surprised you managed to even find an ink eraser. There's not much difference, bearing in mind there are a lot of different kinds of track cleaning blocks. Both are a rubbery matrix with a mild abrasive. Some track cleaning blocks have copper or silica components.
Friend of mine used to punch a disc out of a typewriter eraser that was maybe an eighth of an inch wider than HO track. He would contact cement the eraser disc to a brass sheet circle that had a vertical shaft soldered to it. The vertical shaft went up through a hole drilled in the bottom of the freight car. The genius of the design was in the slightly off-center positioning of the hole, so the eraser disc would rotate as the car went down the track, scrubbing dust and oxidation off the top of the rails.
Graham LineFriend of mine used to punch a disc out of a typewriter eraser that was maybe an eighth of an inch wider than HO track. He would contact cement the eraser disc to a brass sheet circle that had a vertical shaft soldered to it. The vertical shaft went up through a hole drilled in the bottom of the freight car. The genius of the design was in the slightly off-center positioning of the hole, so the eraser disc would rotate as the car went down the track, scrubbing dust and oxidation off the top of the rails.
And leaving microscopic scratches on the railhead in the process that collects dirt, faster.
Take Care!
Frank
What's a type writer?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
BigDaddy What's a type writer?
So I can also use it to clean track and it won't damage the track any more than a bright boy?
zstripeAnd leaving microscopic scratches on the railhead in the process that collects dirt, faster. Take Care! Frank
Frank,Be sure to zoom to IIRC 10X to see those tiny scratches.One should be more worried about the other gook that ends upon our track like human and pet dandruff,skin flakes,electrical residue,bug(spider,ant) droppings,dust mites,dust..All of these nasties was mention in that MR article. I LOL so much while reading that article my late wife kept asking what was so funny in MR?
A bright boy is needed to remove some of that gooky nasty stuff in and around switch frogs..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Trainman440 So I can also use it to clean track and it won't damage the track any more than a bright boy?
Correct............
I'll jump in since no discussion on track cleaning is complete without someone referencing the GLEAM process. Just search this community for the details.
Jim
Am I the only one in a HazMat suit in a clean room? Geez you guys make work for yourself!
GoosetownGoosetown wrote the following post 8 hours ago: Am I the only one in a HazMat suit in a clean room? Geez you guys make work for yourself!
May I ask how you keep your track clean? (I seriously doubt that you are modelling in a HazMat suit!).
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter Goosetown Goosetown wrote the following post 8 hours ago: Am I the only one in a HazMat suit in a clean room? Geez you guys make work for yourself! May I ask how you keep your track clean? (I seriously doubt that you are modelling in a HazMat suit!). Dave
Goosetown Goosetown wrote the following post 8 hours ago: Am I the only one in a HazMat suit in a clean room? Geez you guys make work for yourself!
My guess would be.....His hazmat suit has it's own oxygen supply similar to a space suit and there is NO oxygen in the sealed layout room, for miniscule dirt and dust particle's to be floating around in.......and if You believe that.....I'll tell you a better one! LOL...............
While I don't use a hazmat suit I have started using plastic surgical gloves when I use 91% Alcohol to clean track because it can be absorb through the skin.
Of course, I clean track only as needed and the gloves may be overkill but,why risk it?