Cleaning track

[SWA737]

 I was wondering if it is OK to use plain old rubbing alcohol ( 70% isopropyl alcohol )  to clean track. I have a rather large railroad and have found the alcohol does a good job. I have only clearned about a 10 foot section and it works very well. My question is, before I clean the rest, does anyone see an issue  with potential track damage?  It immediately takes the black carbon right off the rail heads.  Trains run great right after cleaning with this. Using code 83 nickel silver   Thanks, Rob 

[mlehman]

I use 90% myself. Alcohol is good stuff for cleaning rails. It also cuts dried matte medium, so if you used that to bind your ballast the alcohol helps with the cleanup from that.

[retsignalmtr]

90% Alcohol is better than 70%. Consider using a Masonite slider car (aka John Allen car) in each train you run. They are easy to make and work great.

[sandusky]

Alcohol, naphtha (lighter fluid), electronics cleaner (Radio Shack or Parts Express); I use whatever is at hand, all good.

 

[BRAKIE]

retsignalmtr

Consider using a Masonite slider car (aka John Allen car) in each train you run.

Once before each operation session should work. I been in clubs where we clean track only when needed and still had flawless operation for several weeks between track cleaning sessions. One club we just shoved a "JA" car around the layout that had a bright boy attached before operation and that was in the era of brass track and locomotives with brass wheels..

[bogp40]

90 % alcohol is also great for wheel cleaning, locos I wet an edge of paper towel, lay over rails and run each truck while powering up and holding the engine (a bit of jiggling the truck while running will clean the flanges). A bit easier on diesel over steam drivers. This will also work for built up crud on rolling stock, just move over the wet towel.

For hand cleaning track w/ alcohol, I like to use a cloth wrapped around a wood block. Most club track cleaning is done w/ track cleaning cars though. Hand clean yards and after scenery work.

[LenS]

Just be careful as the alcohol could take the paint off the sides of your rails. We use the masonite glued to a wood block at our club.

Len S

[JoeinPA]

I've used both 70% and 90% isopropyl alcohol and haven't found much difference. Some use lacquer thinner. I've tried it and found alcohol to be just as good and not as aggressive on plastic ties etc.

Joe

[G Paine]

LenS

Just be careful as the alcohol could take the paint off the sides of your rails. We use the masonite glued to a wood block at our club.

Len S

I was about to post the same caution. One of our volunteers had been cleaning wheels with 90%, and got some on his fingers. The next thing he knew the alcohol had dissolved some of the detail paint on a locomotive. Fortunately, we had some decals matching the damaged details and could repair it.

[JoeinPA]

Len S makes a very good point. Any of the suggested solvents can casue damage if used excessively. Careful application is always a good practice. I've had good results with wetting a block of Homasote with alcohol and rubbing along the rail tops. I haven't tried wetting wood but it sounds like a good idea. I have used a basswood stick to remove glue left over from ballasting.

Joe

[kasskaboose]

Rubbing alcohol definately work and quite cheap.  I use that and recently bought CRC 2-26.  Is one better than another?

[mbinsewi]

I use just tiny bit of the CRC 2-26 on the pivit points of turn outs, and I also use it on my Kato SD45's, where the axles make contact with the pick-up strips.  It's more of a lubricant for electrical connections.

I never tried it for track cleaning.  I use the alcohol.

Mike.

 

[mlehman]

You only need very little 2-26 and it is persistent. I wouldn't use it to clean track. In fact, if you apply it to dirty track it tends to mobilize the grunge on it by acting as a solvent. Best to clean with alcohol first, as it evaporates and doesn't persist, then sparingly apply the 2-26 to the clean rail.

My experience is that you then only need to spot clean track, as the 2-26 tends to keep it clean.

[BRAKIE]

LenS

Just be careful as the alcohol could take the paint off the sides of your rails. We use the masonite glued to a wood block at our club.

Len S

 

 

And if accidentally dripped onto your models it will leave spots where it removed the paint.

[dinwitty]

I made a track cleaning train, I don't remember if it was La Belle or whomever had a car designed for track cleaning, you could pour alcohol in the tank and it would drip onto a pad, then I had a cleanup pad car behind it, it was pushed by a couple of club diesels before any run session, good especially when you have some extended hidden track.

[kasskaboose]

Should I return the 2-26 or use it with the rubbing alcohol?  I wasn't sure whether the alcohol and 2-26 combination is necessary. 

 

[ricktrains4824]

I currently use just plain Isopropyl alcohol myself, in a track cleaning train, has a CMX car, a centerline car (run dry as a mop-up car) and a slider car. (Excuse to run a caboose, as a work train on my railroad requires a caboose...)

I run it "backwards", with the caboose leading, then the CMX, then the centerline, then the slider car, then locomotives. (Hence the rule requiring a caboose, aka "shoving platform"...)

I will be trying the ACT-6006 when I get some, but have never used CRC 2-26.

I have also tried other various "track cleaners" that have been made by various manufacturers, but the Isopropyl works just as good, and is cheaper. (And easy to get!) Many really like ACT-6006 though, so to be fair, I need to try it out before I say Isopropyl works just as well as it. I have found only very slight diffeence in the 70% Vs 90% debate, the 90% works just a slight bit quicker, as it is just a slight bit stronger. The warning on paint however is a good one... If your CMX car is set properly, no issues, just be careful when refilling!

When extremely bad, I do have the WS "TIDY-TRACK" track cleaner, but will only use the felt pads with it, nothing abrasive. And, I will wet the pads with Isopropyl.

[mlehman]

kasskaboose

Should I return the 2-26 or use it with the rubbing alcohol?  I wasn't sure whether the alcohol and 2-26 combination is necessary. 

 

 

What I do is get the track clean with alcohol, then apply the 2-26 very sparingly to aid contact. You can also think of alcohol as your everyday, go-to cleaner, while the 2-26 is your annual tune-up.

With track treated with 2-26, I only clean with alcohol when something gets it dirty. This could be due to ballasting, other scenicking, dust and other deposits from the air, etc. If the track needs a thorough cleaning for some reason, then I will re-apply the 2-26 to freshen it. Just running equipment spreads the 2-26 enough from the limited areas I reapply it to so that reapplying it more generally isn't really necessary.

[mlehman]

ricktrains4824

I will be trying the ACT-6006 when I get some, but have never used CRC 2-26. I have also tried other various "track cleaners" that have been made by various manufacturers, but the Isopropyl works just as good, and is cheaper. (And easy to get!) Many really like ACT-6006 though, so to be fair, I need to try it out before I say Isopropyl works just as well as it.

I do use ACT-6006, mostly on the rare ocassions when I run my Centerlines to clean hidden track. It doesn't evaporate as quickly as alcohol. It doesn't seem to be quite as effective or persistent as 2-26 in promoting contact. So for some situations it works better than the other two.

[Marty C]

Earlier in this thread someone mentioned using a masonite car in each train. My layout is in two bays of a three car garage. Keeping the track clean was always a chore. I bought one of the masonite kits and used it as a template to make four or five of my own. mounted to 40ft box cars they do a good job keeping the grunge down and the rails polished. A couple of penny nails and a small piece of masonite mounted rough side down has significantly reduced my need to do extensive cleaning and is very inexpensive. Mostly now I only need to spot clean around the switch points.

 

Marty C

[buho]

[quote user="Marty C"]

Earlier in this thread someone mentioned using a masonite car in each train. My layout is in two bays of a three car garage. Keeping the track clean was always a chore. I bought one of the masonite kits and used it as a template to make four or five of my own. mounted to 40ft box cars they do a good job keeping the grunge down and the rails polished. A couple of penny nails and a small piece of masonite mounted rough side down has significantly reduced my need to do extensive cleaning and is very inexpensive. Mostly now I only need to spot clean around the switch points.

 

Marty C

 

[Buho]

[kasskaboose]

mlehman

 

kasskaboose

Should I return the 2-26 or use it with the rubbing alcohol?  I wasn't sure whether the alcohol and 2-26 combination is necessary. 

 

 

 

 

 

What I do is get the track clean with alcohol, then apply the 2-26 very sparingly to aid contact. You can also think of alcohol as your everyday, go-to cleaner, while the 2-26 is your annual tune-up.

With track treated with 2-26, I only clean with alcohol when something gets it dirty. This could be due to ballasting, other scenicking, dust and other deposits from the air, etc. If the track needs a thorough cleaning for some reason, then I will re-apply the 2-26 to freshen it. Just running equipment spreads the 2-26 enough from the limited areas I reapply it to so that reapplying it more generally isn't really necessary.

 

Nice explanation.  Thanks!  I'll use both the alcohol and 2-26, per your suggestion.  I need to get the loco running after it's been sitting dormant for a few months while I was working on other matters.

[dmikee]

If the track is very dirty, use the 90% alcohol to give it a basic cleaning. CAUTION: do not use an abrasive track cleaner - it will leave tiny scratches on the rail head and attract dirt and grime. For repeated cleaning nothing works like the masonite track cleaning cars. CRC 2-26 (from Home Depot's electric dept.) is then applied SPARINGLY at times, especially on switches and track joints. As an added bonus, CRC 2-26 does an outstanding job cleaning wheels and contacts.

[CNSF]

If the 2-26 being referred to here is the same or similar to a product I have which is branded "Rail-Zip" (which I understand is similar to automotive brake fluid), I do have a word of caution. The product is persistent and does seem to prevent/delay corrosion of the rail as advertised. I only applied it every few years and initially got good results. However, it is a solvent, and the last time I applied it it actually made things worse. As soon as I began operating trains after the cleaning, newly cleaned track was covered with a mud-like layer. I eventually figured out that the product was dissolving hardened dirt/crud that had built up on rolling stock wheels over the years, and redepositing it everywhere. I'm running over 200 pieces of rolling stock, and although I was in the process of gradually converting to all metal wheels, over 50 cars were still running around on plastic wheelsets. Although some of the metal wheels were dirty it seemed to be mainly the plastic wheels which were the culprits here (they were older, harder to clean and in fact on another forum discussion here on MR some posters suggested that the plastic itself actually decays and softens over time, becoming a major source of the crud). Anyway, the problem of redeposited dirt on repeatedly cleaned track continued until I shut down operations and replaced all the remaining plastic wheelsets in one fell swoop. Problem solved; the train has remained clean since, but I'm now leery of using that product.

[BRAKIE]

dmikee

CAUTION: do not use an abrasive track cleaner - it will leave tiny scratches on the rail head and attract dirt and grime.

I been using a Bright Boy for 60 years and those scratches you speak of you will need to zoom 10x with a microscope to see them according to a article in MR years ago.

[BRAKIE]

CNSF

all metal wheels, over 50 cars were still running around on plastic wheelsets. Although some of the metal wheels were dirty it seemed to be mainly the plastic wheels which were the culprits here (they were older, harder to clean and in fact on another forum discussion here on MR some posters suggested that the plastic itself actually decays and softens over time, becoming a major source of the crud).

Actually that black crud is made up of several things including human and pet dandruff,electrical residual, dustmites, human skin flakes,bug droppings etc. Changing to metal wheelsets does help and will need less cleaning. This was covered in a MR article several years ago..

[Smokey D]

I use a graphite stick sparingly on my tracks once every 2 weeks and use a Trax ho wheel cleaner best thing ever invented

[uncrichard]

SWA737

 I was wondering if it is OK to use plain old rubbing alcohol ( 70% isopropyl alcohol )  to clean track. I have a rather large railroad and have found the alcohol does a good job. I have only clearned about a 10 foot section and it works very well. My question is, before I clean the rest, does anyone see an issue  with potential track damage?  It immediately takes the black carbon right off the rail heads.  Trains run great right after cleaning with this. Using code 83 nickel silver   Thanks, Rob 

Cleaning just the top of the rail is only half the job, remember the wheels have flanges which transfer what is on top to the inner sides of the rail and back.

Alcohol 90% or better is excellent, make the label says pure. Rubbing alcohol may contain added items which may causes gumming.

[chorister]

Gleam your track and forget about cleaning. I gleamed years ago and run with plastic wheels with no problems

[sfcouple]

A couple of months ago a CMX track cleaning car was purchased, they are not cheap but when using Lacquer Thinner for the solvent the rails come out spotless. 

When using Lacquer Thinner, which is a combination of several solvents, there is a possibility of the thinner attacking plastic ties; however my track and turnouts are hand built using wooden ties so this isn't a problem for me.  However, the only thinner dispensed from the CMX car goes right onto an absorbent pad and I've never seen any of the solvent on the ties.  In addition, Lacquer Thinner is very volatile and doesn't stay around long in the liquid form. 

Wayne