Our club has a pair of CMX cars and they can be very effective -- BUT -- some of our volunteer cleaners can't seem to understand 1. setting the drip rate correctly, 2. changing the cleaning pad, 3. refilling the tank when it runs dry.
When not used correctly, the CMX car will soften crud and spread it around the railroad. If an inattentive operator gets drawn into a bull session and lets the car sit without shutting off the drip, mineral spirits can make a mess of flex track and ballast.
The cleaning pads are upholstery corduroy with a vinyl mesh backing and we haven't found a really decent substitute. The pads can be cleaned and reused if you can train the cleaners not to thrown them away. We're still working on that.
Mostly we use the paint sticks with the chair leg pads attached now. A motivated layout owner doing his own cleaning will be able to use a CMX, with hand cleaning in the tough spots.
Frank,
The "bullet" has been bitten! There were just too many positive testimonials about the CMX car not to go through life without one. I got it for $145 from Steve's Depot, which beat M.B. Klein's price of $160. I'll get back on this thread with a report once I've used it a few times.
All the best,
Kerry
Well, in fact he did. A direct answer to a quite simple question, "How effective...?" Nothing vague about that at all.
Thanks for the photos and your detailed testimony. Experience speaks!
Paul,
I appreciate your assessment of the CMX and its track cleaning qualities. If the 1-2-3 punch of clean tracks, the CMX and Masonite pads (or a similar approach) in your tool box can't keep the rails clean nothing can.
David,
Not too much to add aside from what Paul posted.....but I will add...when they were going for 120.00 apiece, I thought that was too much money too, until I bought one and experienced it's performance. I have some other's I have bought over the yr's...a centerline drag car..pain in the butt to put the cloth on the brass part, even invested in a dual vertical motorized disc' one, a disc for each motor set in a box car.....waste of money. I forget who made it. I also made My own masonite drag car which I used on one of My older code 100 handlaid brass track layout, but always resorted to just cleaning it by hand with Brasso and a cloth wrapped around a block of wood.......the Brasso would leave a coating on the track to slow down oxidation.....but was a pain also. I was also skeptical about the CMX car...until I bought and used one. I only messed up one time using it....I left it on a siding and forgot to close the valve...the lacquer thinner soaked into the track where it was sitting and to My amazement....It Did not do any damage to the plastic ties....It loosened up the ballast, but when dried completely, there was no damage. The lacquer thinner dries/evaporates too fast to do any harm.....so I continue to use it. Works the best out of everything people use IMHO.
I also don't pull it around......I push it...theory being.. it hits the dirt/dust before any wheels do.
My track is spiked into Homasote roadbed, minumally then weathered with an airbrush and I use Woodland scenic's ballast cement mixed with alcohol, nothing else....works for Me......parts of present layout have been up and running since 1980. Started in HO scale 1950 from S-scale...I was 8 yrs. old.
I still have some left of the original cloth that came with the CMX car, since the early 90's.
You can see how shiney the tops of the rail head are and no damge to the painted rails:
Take Care, Good Luck on Your decision!
Frank
GNMT76 Frank, A very interesting - and seemingly common sense - though pricey solution to dirty tracks. Thanks for sharing it. Worth investigating. A few comments on the video site suggest potential harmful side effects to plastic from the lacquer thinner and offer opposing opinions as to the point of weight transference, which could affect the quality of the cleaning. I guess that the car is made of brass for all this weight, correct? And what other cleaning solvents have you used in this car? Comments from your experience on both counts: weight and solvents? Any chemists out there who can chime in on the various cleaning agents and their application for cleaning tracks without harming anything or being magnets for dust bunnies? M.B. Klein sells this car for $160 today, as well as replacement pads for $6.00. Does CMX have its own website? A Google search showed only places to buy the car.
A very interesting - and seemingly common sense - though pricey solution to dirty tracks. Thanks for sharing it. Worth investigating.
A few comments on the video site suggest potential harmful side effects to plastic from the lacquer thinner and offer opposing opinions as to the point of weight transference, which could affect the quality of the cleaning. I guess that the car is made of brass for all this weight, correct? And what other cleaning solvents have you used in this car? Comments from your experience on both counts: weight and solvents?
Any chemists out there who can chime in on the various cleaning agents and their application for cleaning tracks without harming anything or being magnets for dust bunnies?
M.B. Klein sells this car for $160 today, as well as replacement pads for $6.00. Does CMX have its own website? A Google search showed only places to buy the car.
Many like the CMX as a key, but pricey, part of their approach. I am one. The pad is sprung so some force is exerted beyond the weight of the pad. The brass car is quite heavy, but a limited amount of force goes to the pad vs. the weight on the trucks. But it's enough for the car to have quite significant drag (I usually run it with 2 locos), so I would not worry about light contact. And note that it has an easy job of removing dirt (unlike a bright boy which demands more force) as the solvent is loosening the dirt and the pad picking it up.
The pad is basically corderoy (cotton, I'd guess). I keep clean strips in one baggie and another baggie is for the dirty ones, until they get washed (in a sock so they don't get lost). You probably don't even need a replacement pack.
I use denatured alcohol because that's what I started using when I got the car. I understand that lacquer thinner may work better but I have not bothered. I don't think either will bother, for instance, my painted rail sides. That's because the drip is set by adjusting the air inlet such that a few (6-8??, I forget) drips per minute fall on the pad to just keep it solvent damp.
It's a luxury and works well, as it always cures the few spots on my track that can eventually cause a sound loco to "hiccup" with a brief contact interruption.
I like the CMX as just an occasional part of the process, not the only tool in the box. That is, starting with gleamed track, plus routine inclusion of the (80/20) masonite cars plus the CMX gives a nice balance to things IMHO. You will find various opinions. It might make a difference if you are running sound or not, DCC or not.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Bite the bullet and invest in a CMX track cleaning car......the only one You will ever need. I personally have two...bought them back when they were 119.00...no regrets. I use it maybe once a yr. on a 12'x40ft double mainline layout. They have gone up in price, but what hasn't? You can find cheaper some places....A review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98Zea0dFewk
I use what they recommend in it...lacquer thinner......when drip rate is correct, You hardly smell the lacquer thinner and the pad Will get the inside web of the rail head, because of how the pad is shaped.
Take Care!
GNMT76Good to know about its lack of effectiveness on frogs , etc.
I suspect none of the "hands off" track cleaners are going to effectively detail all such probem areas if that's the goal. On the other hand, doing these by hand is generally not too big a deal once you start paying attention to track conditions. They're predicatble in location and in how fast they build up once the become familiar to you, generally low spots that whatever is swiping past doesn't catch. There's really nothing that does inside or below the railhead, other than somewhat incidentally, just on top.
Also, a News Note: The Trainfest report here on MR turned up a new to me supplier of cleaning pads, kits, and RTR cleaning cars using them. Check out these folks:
http://jamcreations.net/Cleaners_Maintainers.htm
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Maybe ScotchBrite? The green pads?
I tried masonite but wasn't impressed with the results so I started using Scotch Guard which works a whole lot better. I also use a large rubber eraser on hard to clean spots.
I also made mine with the masonite pad but I weighted it with a piece of lead directly on the pad. I clean it with a small brass brush, I have 4 of them that are ussually in 4 of the local trains. I've made a few for friends also, I also use a Cratex Rubberized Abrasive bar that cleans and polishes the rails. They can be bought on E Bay but are pricey, Micro Mark sells them for $10.00 or so. I bought a box of 12 for about 12.00 10 years ago and am glad I did now.
Many thanks, Graham Line. Good to know about its lack of effectiveness on frogs , etc.
I guess the OP wanted direct answers, so in order of questions asked, my answers would be, somewhat, no, and yes.
mlehman I guess the OP felt this was all about him. But the internet has a way of creating value for all who participate. The OP got his specific answer, sorry we didn't realize how specific the question was. But threads like these aren't really about one person's need or desire, they are written, read, and recorded to benefit all who participated, as well as the others who subsequently have multiple other questions on this topic answered conveniently in one place. We can be all grumpy about that or we can just be thankful for a host who provides a place to do it, for all the experience, wisdom, and effort that goes into these responses, and the silent appreciation of most readers who are glad all these points and tips are related together in a fairly coherent way.
I guess the OP felt this was all about him. But the internet has a way of creating value for all who participate. The OP got his specific answer, sorry we didn't realize how specific the question was.
But threads like these aren't really about one person's need or desire, they are written, read, and recorded to benefit all who participated, as well as the others who subsequently have multiple other questions on this topic answered conveniently in one place. We can be all grumpy about that or we can just be thankful for a host who provides a place to do it, for all the experience, wisdom, and effort that goes into these responses, and the silent appreciation of most readers who are glad all these points and tips are related together in a fairly coherent way.
Very well said, Mike. I fully agree and was having similar thoughts, but I did not feel I could phrase it objectively.
Masonite pads are effective in knocking dust and debris off of track that is moderately clean to start. Because the pads are flat they clean only the top surface of the rail, but not the inside of the rail head.
Masonite pads are not effective in cleaning up frogs, switch points, or grade crossings that have pavement or timbering at rail height.
A-Line sells a kit but I find the pad they supply to be too narrow.
We prefer a homemade gadget that consists of a round felt furniture pad that is attached to a paint stirring stick. The felt pad is doused with 70 or 90 percent alcohol and wiped along the track.
GNMT76 Joe, One - maybe two - of the latter replies certainly answered my simple "how effective" question. The rest remind me of a friend, who when asked the time responds with a detailed explanation on how to make a watch. Metaphorically speaking, that is.
Joe,
One - maybe two - of the latter replies certainly answered my simple "how effective" question. The rest remind me of a friend, who when asked the time responds with a detailed explanation on how to make a watch. Metaphorically speaking, that is.
Alton Junction
GNMT76One - maybe two - of the latter replies certainly answered my simple "how effective" question. The rest remind me of a friend, who when asked the time responds with a detailed explanation on how to make a watch.
Well, I'm certainly guilty of doing that in the past so on behalf of everyone who has offered suggestions, I apologise! Perhaps if you are so offended by other people trying to offer helpful suggestions, maybe you should take the time to word your enquiries much more carefully in the future. Make sure to tell people that you don't want any helpful advice. Absolutely make sure that you tell people that you don't want any 'how to' instructions.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Well in that case, buy your own watch and don't waste your friends time.
Metaphorically speaking, that is.
The Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
.
Never mind.
Thanks, David. That's the info I was seeking.
Hey, that polka-dot paint ain't cheap!
To add a bit of useful info...since they are DIY. You can do it, even if you're not especially handy. Follow Bear's info and you won't go wrong. The key things to DIY it right are:
measure the width and length carefully. Shouldn't be much wider than the car to stay within clearance limits, has to fit between trucks, etc so when they turn nothing touches.
Choose 1/8" material for the pad (1/4" may work in O???) in the more common scales (not sure if there's a N way to do these?).
Drill holes to match your chosen pins - CENTERED and SQUARELY in line with the long axis of the car between the couplers. Pins should be slightly loose in the holes, not tight, so things move easy up and down with no binding. Fat headed roofing nails are easy to attach with a judiciously small drop of epoxy. Let set with the pad underneath and the pins centered in your predilled holes. That's also the best way to make new pads accurately when attaching the pins.
I tend to favor epoxy over the CA that Bear uses, but either will work. Keep in mind to use a good quality CA as he recommends, because the sheer strength is important here I suspect, based on a lame one I built with cheap CA once. Also, helps to bevel the dragger to start of course, another design failure on my part. But it's a simple thing, so if something goes wrong, it's usually obvious what will make it better the next time.
GNMT76Still looking for a reply to the question that was asked.
Cheers, the Bear.
[quote user="GNMT76"]Still looking for a reply to the question that was asked.
David the answers are there you just have to dig through the comments to see them. There are no commercially available masonite pad cars. You have to make them yourself. Several examples are given in the replies above. There are some pad type cars commercially available but they use abrasive type pads. Masonite pads do not seem to cause any damage to the rails and, at least in my experience, they help in keeping the track clean for good running. I hope this answers your questions.
Joe
It is a very thin coat of a high quality (MaGuires) was which protects against oxidation which also affects conductivity.