Track cleaner recommendation

[Anonymous]

Has anyone used Pacer's Rail Zip? I did a search and found only one sort-of reference. If you have used it, do you recommend it, or is there something else that's better?

[cwclark]

I've cleaned plenty of track in my day and i've found that a little alcohol on a rag preceeded by a brightboy track cleaner works best followed by a very light coating ( and i do mean light) of wahl's clipper oil wiped on top of the rails to keep it clean and help to restrict the oxidation ....chuck

[cmrproducts]

This is a reprint from June 12:

The problem with cleaning track is you have to keep doing it on a regular basis!

What if you could do something to your track so that you would never have to clean it again! Sound interesting!

All it is going to cost you is a little time and a bottle or tube of silver metal polish. That’s it!

Sounds too easy doesn’t it! You don’t have to use a bunch of chemicals or spend the price of a new engine on a dumb cleaning car either. I through all my cleaning cars away, and I have a bunch of them. Just about every brand and type there was!

I have, as many others have, advised anyone asking about track CLEANING, that the problem is you are only cleaning the rails and not protecting them from getting dirty. So now you have to clean them again and again. DO YOU like to clean the track or run trains?

By using metal polish and any type will work (MAAS, Mothers Mag wheel polish, Blue Coral or any silverware polish, it don’t matter) you are first removing the dirt build up and/or oxidation. Then the wax/polish puts a protective coating on the rails that fills in the minute scratches. This eliminates the air from affecting the metal rails again and keeps the scratches from filling up with dirt. The dirt won’t stick to the rails just as waxing an automobile keeps the dirt from sticking to the finish.

The polish will not cause a build up of crud on the wheels as does Wal Hair Clipper oil does (and Yes I have used it and won’t any more)(I also have a big list of stuff I have tried over the years that didn’t work).

And I know there are many modelers that will never change as their methods work BUT if you are not happy with having to keep cleaning your track give the metal polish some thought. You will never go back.

And no it does not cause your engines to lose traction and it eliminates the sound engine drop out problems too!

I am using it on a layout with over 2600 feet of track on it so if it works on this large of a layout it will work on your layout! I haven’t cleaned the rails for over 2 years now and I plan on not cleaning until the engines won’t run any longer. So when this happens I will let everyone know.

To apply the polish, just put a little on a rag and wipe it on the rails. Do a few feet at a time and then using a clean rag go back and buff the rails to remove the cloudy coating on the rails (same as doing auto paint waxing). That is all there is to it.

Now clean your engine wheels and you are ready to go.

BOB H – Clarion, PA

[Anonymous]

I suspect if LHS carried the paste cleaner/polisher the word would get around.
But for $3.50 a tube from Walmart, doesn't leave enough profit for them to stock
it.

[dmikee]

We just completed cleaning our entire layout using Mother's mag wheel cleaner. We applied it by smearing the bottom of a masonite track cleaner car with a dab of the mag wheel cleaner and following it with a couple more regular cleaning cars.

Amazing results:
Dirty track came extremely clean with only three or four passes. The railhead is quite smooth and later wiping with a rag indicates no residue at all.

Vastly improved rolling characteristics through turnouts and crossings due to the lubricating effect

No redepositing of gunk from static dust in the air or from dirty wheels or plastic wheels.

An apparent substantial improvement in electrical contact, almost like conductive grease without the greasy mess.

Highly recommended! And using a track cleaner car to apply the mag wheel cleaner is way easier than using a rag and snagging on everything.

[waltersrails]

i agree with cwclark

[retsignalmtr]

i don't have to clean my track too often but when i have to i just use a bright boy followed by a rag dampened with lifelikes blue liquid track cleaner. (looks like windshield cleaner. i may try that when i run out of cleaner as it's cheaper). i use several cars with masonite pads sliding on the rails, one in each train. they work well and are cheap to make.