Perhaps my expectations were too high, or perhaps I messed up. Either way, my track is still too dirty.
Through December and January, I cleaned my track by the following method.
A month down the road and every time I run a train, I can wipe down the track and find two very dark streaks, and if I don't clean between every 2-4 trains I'll get a flickering headlight if not stalls. I'm running a 5 amp system, and I understand this exacerbates the problem.
So, did I screw up and can I do anything to improve it?
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trainboyH16-44Quick rub with the smooth side of a stainless steel washer, but not gleam level
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Did you clean all the wheels on your cars and engines after you cleaned the track? If not you're just transferring dirt.
The streaks after a train make it sound like you have dirty wheelsets leaving dirt on the rails. Next time you clean the track, also clean all the wheels on your locomotives and cars. Also consider getting a track cleaning car to keep the rails clean between extensive cleanings.
Modeling the Pennsy and loving it!
I should clarify, I cleaned all the locomotive wheels and near all of my cars were boxed prior to being run.
That's confusing. I'd try a few more cleanings - there could be a dirt trap somewhere that is depositing dirt on the rails or wheels, but once the dirt is out of the trap, things should be fine.
If that doesn't work, try using automatic transmission fluid on the rails. I read about it in MR, and the club that wrote the article said that it worked great and eliminated all conductivity problems. Reapply every 2 weeks. The article said to use a small drop every 3 feet or so on both railheads. Do not clean it off, the ATF is what conducts the electricity. The dirt will be put into suspension, and the ATF cna be cleaned off with a couple applications of alcohol on a rag.
What is the room environment like? Finished ceiling?
I stopped using Wahls clipper oil, No-Ox and other so-called cleaners a few years ago and now only use CRC 2-26 contact cleaner. This stuff works like magic, after the first initial cleaning (including all the wheels) with CRC 2-26, I only have to wipe down the tracks about once or twice a year.
Jay
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I wouldn't use that much trans fluid!!
If you do the trains will spin to a stop! A drop or 2 per rail is usually enough for most layouts. The locos will pick it up, as will every car that follows after a few times around the room. Also, if you have not done it yet, metal wheels for everything...plastic wheels are dirt vacuums! Sticks to them like glue!
Karl
NCE über alles!
Using anything wet WILL COLLECT DIRT!
Our Club used to use Wahl Oil on the tracks and the Car wheels collected so much dirt that they would derail in the middle of a straight section of track
We spent more time cleaning the car wheels than we did running trains.
Once we quit using oils on the tracks and kept them dry (as in Polishing the tracks) the problem of having to clean the car wheels all of the time stopped!
As for the black streaks on the track that is a combination of dirt - oil and natural N/S track oxidation!
I get the black stuff off my home layout rails all of the time
BUT
I just Polish the rails - NO OILS
I doesn't hamper the running of trains or sound units!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
cmrproductsOnce we quit using oils on the tracks and kept them dry (as in Polishing the tracks) the problem of having to clean the car wheels all of the time stopped!
Bob,
Does this work just as good for plastic wheels?
Jim
I'm with Bob - I do not leave anything on the rails. The residue will collect dirt. After using an electrical contact cleaner/clipper oil/etc - wipe down the track after you have spread it around. Our club uses lacquer thinner spread with a CMX track cleaning car. About 2-3 passes and the track is clean, The wiper pad under the CMX(old corduroy material) is 'black' . We also use only metal wheels on all cars.
At home, I usually run a CMX with lacquer thinner about twice/year, and after scenery construction work. I set the valve on the CMX to drip one drop every 3-5 seconds. You can barely smell the lacquer thinner unless you have your 'nose' close to the track. Goo-Gone does leave a residue, and I will not use it.
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
trainboyH16-44 Thoroughly give everything a good rub with a peco track eraser Quick rub with the smooth side of a stainless steel washer, but not gleam level Vacuum Thoroughly polish everything using metal polish, used some blue stuff at first but mother's mag polish later on Apply no-ox as directed, leaving it overnight after running locos over it and giving the rails a good clean with a paper towel in the morning
See Jeffrey's post in http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/212742.aspx
Sounds like gleaming requires more than a quick rub. I have the impression that you're trying to smooth the railhead to eliminate any micro groves, and this requires a lot of elbow grease. And it makes sense to start with a clean railhead to start with.
greg
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Soo Line fan cmrproductsOnce we quit using oils on the tracks and kept them dry (as in Polishing the tracks) the problem of having to clean the car wheels all of the time stopped! Bob, Does this work just as good for plastic wheels?
At the time we were using the oil we all had plastic wheels! This was back in the mid 80's
On my current home layout - I see the old plastic wheels still picking up dirt but NOT at the rate the oiled track did!
I am slowly changing over to metal wheels (with over 1000 cars it takes a while)!
BUT - I do see some dirt buildup on the metal wheels but nothing like the plastic wheels.
I expect that once all the cars have metal wheels - that the dirt pickup will be a lot less!
Time will tell.
I have been an electrician for over 12 years and have yet to find any cleaner that will not leave some kind of residue. The club I am in quit using any kind of chemical cleaners or polish and now we use cleaning cars with the pads under them and bright boys. That's it, nothing else. We clean the rails with a cleaning car a couple laps before we do any serious running and thats it.
How do I clean my layout? Which is 30ft by 36ft, three levels, all nickle silver? Layout started in 1983 and is complete?
Simple, I run all metal wheel sets, and a dry pad on a track cleaning car once a month. Once in a great while, I may have to use a little fluid on a spot or two, but that is it.
However, let me add that the train room is sheetrocked, has tile ceiling, has a complete floor, and I keep the room clean with a shop vac,
Works for me.
Bob
I also have a centerline cleaning car but I mostly use the track cleaning cars I built with the piece of Masonite under it. I built 4 of them and run them before we run the trains, its amazing the dirt they pick up and all you do is clean them with a soft brass brush. Jim.
Lubricants such as transmission fluid, clipper and motor oil cannot conduct electricity. If anyone wants to argue this point, simply do the following:
How can a lubricant be a conductor when the DMM reads nothing?
What lubricants do is slow oxidization of the rails. Used in thin amounts, it does not hamper current flow but in no way can it be termed a conductor. Unfortunately, they will attract dirt.
Last month was the first time I used 2.26. Very little oily residue but too soon to tell. Prior to that has been a abrasive track car and by hand. Next time I am planning on the polish method.
Soo Line fanLubricants such as transmission fluid, clipper and motor oil cannot conduct electricity. If anyone wants to argue this point, simply do the following: Place your lubricant of choice inside a open container. Take a DMM, set to ohms and insert both leads into the container. If the container is metal, do not touch the bottom and make sure the leads to not touch.
you say don't let the leads touch, but aren't the wheels in contact with the rail?
there are some lubricants that are conductive, Excelle Light Lubricant and Labelle makes one also, and can be used to lubricate the brushes that make electrical contact with the commutator of the motor.
gregcyou say don't let the leads touch, but aren't the wheels in contact with the rail?
Greg,
I meant do not let the leads touch each other while submerged in the oil during the test. Lots of products can be used on armatures. Try the Excelle /Labelle products with the above test and see what happens.
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I've noticed that! You can wipe rails over and over and still see that black residue, no matter how often you clean those rails. Very good point!
Back when I was running my trains and I had almost 100% plastic wheels, I noticed how quickly the crud would build up on them, thick crud that basically had to be scraped off with an exacto blade.
Since those days I have replaced a large portion of my fleet with newer rolling stock which almost all has come with metal wheels. The job of replacing what is left should be alot less work and costly now.
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