I am returning to model railroading after being away for many years. I am pulling out my tracks and trains and will set up a 60 x 48 layout.
Before doing it I have searched answers for two issues: I have searched what is the best product to use to clean track, I read hand 'track eraser', liquid cleaner and even viewed a video showing sporadic use of automatic transmission fluid
Also best way to clean metal wheels
Maybe more questions later. Thanks ahead for any feedback.....
Rich
Thread moved.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
Once you've got grunge buildup, acetone on a q-tip works pretty well to dissolve and remove it, but be cautious about getting it on finished or plastic surfaces.
For general allaround ease and performance, I use CRC 2-26, a contact cleaner/enhancer that is applied very sparingly. Found out about this from an Australian online buddy who was a naval engineer before he went to running trains full-time AKA retirement. Here's a short video on how to use it.
Note the ringing bell, shoveling fireman, etc. Laurie is a pretty handy fellow. He uses it twice a year in a tropical climate. I can go a year or more here in the Midwest and do nothing but spot clean a few ares that might have problems. The initial treatment should hit most of your track, but very lightly. After that, spot application every so often keeps enough circulating to be effective. This is a very low-maintenance method, so if you hate cleaning track like I do, you may want to give this a try.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I don't have anything good to say about acetone. It's flammable, it will melt plastic, Murphys law is in effect so you will spill it sooner or later and it isn't going to do much to any corrossion nor would you want to work with it inside without really good ventilation.
This isn't brass track by any chance? If it is, I would buy nickel silver track and dump the brass.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Well there are many methods to clean track. I wouldn't say one is wrong over the other. One of the most popular is the gleam method:http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/212742.aspxIsopropol Alchohol (woods or rubbing alchohol) 70% will work just fine also. Track erasers (ie: BrightBoy) work really well and fast. But some people don't like using them because they wear down track faster Some people also claim it puts small micro-grooves in the rail which is a source for future dirt collection. Personally I use a brightboy when the track is brand new, after balasting, or heavy in gunk.For train wheelsets:Any wheel cleaner, or Isopropal Alchohol. You can use a q-tip dipped in alchohol. Or you can soak a paper towel and lay it on the track, and turn on the train motor, while holding it in place over the wet towel.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
I used to use Goo Gone, but this product will leave a film on your track. I use a bright boy for quick touch-ups and a rubber eraser for delicate parts like turnout points. The BEST thing that I have found is Woodland Scenics "Tidy Track". It's well worth the investment and great for getting into those "hard to reach" areas like tunnels.
"Shovel all the coal in, gotta keep 'em rolling"
DigitalGriffin Track erasers (ie: BrightBoy) work really well and fast. But some people don't like using them because they wear down track faster Some people also claim it puts small micro-grooves in the rail which is a source for future dirt collection.
Track erasers (ie: BrightBoy) work really well and fast. But some people don't like using them because they wear down track faster Some people also claim it puts small micro-grooves in the rail which is a source for future dirt collection.
I had heard that claim, too. So I did some experiments. And did some micro-photography. It really does put scratches in the rail top.
I have NOT followed up and checked whether there is a greater buildup of gunge on those sections that are scratched. It does seem likely, and so I don't use a coarse abrasive on my rails.
The point of an abrasive is to abrade. Track gunge is too soft to abrade. It's pretty much like dirt. Do you use coarse sandpaper on dirt? So there's no reason to use a BrightBoy on DIRTY track. I wipe mine down with paper. If it's especially gunged, I might use alcohol on the paper.
One could ask why nickel silver railtops would ever need to be abraded. I thought that nickel silver was supposed to be superior to brass because its surface didn't get all brass-gnarly.
Ed
On the track as stated above if you have brass track I would switch to the newer tracks. Also there are a bunch of "track cleaning cars" that one can purchase once they have the track clean that will helpd with everday cleaning. Simply add them to your train.
Also I would like to invite you to join us in Jeffries Diner. If you stop in I will treat you to a cup of Joe. Steve brought in donuts today !
YGW
BigDaddy I don't have anything good to say about acetone. It's flammable, it will melt plastic, Murphys law is in effect so you will spill it sooner or later and it isn't going to do much to any corrossion nor would you want to work with it inside without really good ventilation. This isn't brass track by any chance? If it is, I would buy nickel silver track and dump the brass.
Henry,
Life can be risky. We all make our choices on this. Enough to wet a q-tip seems pretty low risk to me YMMV, but works well if you really need it. Fortunately, that's not generally the case with CRC, but if your methods result in daily acetone maintenance, then something probably needs adjusted, I'd agree.
I think you're seeing weathered track. No brass track in HOn3 in any recent decade, but I don't recall if it's RTR flex or handlaid (which I suspect). AFAIK, everything I've seen about CRC references to N-S track, so let's not get the hopes up of anyone using brass track that CRC is the miracle juice for brass. Going 6 months between cleaning brass would be rather more amazing I'd suspect it would help, but brass is still a PITA.
Keeping the wheels and the track clean is a chore none of us really likes, yet it has to be done to keep our trains running.
In my 53 years in this hobby, I have tried a number of different methods and none of them was really satisfactory - until I discovered gleeming!
Gleeming is a simple process requiring some effort at first, but it will reduce the amount of work going into keeping the track clean thereafter.
Step 1 is to remove all dirt by either using isopropyl -alcohol, or white spirit, even ATF. Don´t use any abrasive material!
Step 2 is to burnish the rail heads with a stailess steel washer going over both rails.
Step 3 is to polish the rail heads with a metal polish (Gleem is, IIRC, a brand of metal polish). MAke sure you remove any excess polish with a soft cloth.
I did that and I have not have to clean the track on my layout for over a year now. If you occasionally run a track cleaning car over your layout, you should be on the safe side!
It takes a bit of effort, but it´s worth it!
Agree with Ulrich on the gleeming process, only I use 600 grit wet dry sandpaper before I burnish. I did it for the first time in 2007 and am just now in the process of redoing the layout. I do run masonite sliders under freight cars on most consists to remove oxidation. Have been very pleased with the process and the result.