cleaning track with Rail Zip

[Anonymous]

I always in the past used dry method to clean my track (bright boy eraser) always worked well but I was unable to get into my tunnels for thorough cleaning of track. Last week at my local hobby shop notice container of Rail Zip which I thought would solve my track cleaning problem in tunnels and other unaccessable areas of my layout -
Big mistake - I have several grades on my layout and now that I've used Rail Zip which is oily like I've lost all traction on my grades.
Today I'am spending the day trying to remove this oily mess from my track.
Suppose if there were no grades on ones layout it would be ok but believe me guys anyone out there with grades on their layout forget about Rail Zip or any other oil base track cleaning produict - stick with good old Bright Boy eraser,
If anyone has suggestion how to remove Rail Zip let me know I'd really appreciate any and all suggestion,
regards
Rudy Montreal Canada

[Anonymous]

Hello Rudy,

Try a rail-cleaning car (such as Aztec's or Centerline's) with Goo-Gone. This should remove most of the oily crud.

A little Rail Zip goes a long way, I found out through experience many years ago.

Paul Schmidt
Contributing Editor
Trains.com

[Anonymous]

I had that same experience with that product and after extensive use I gave it to a fellow with a small layout. I have almost a tenth of a mile of mainline, grades, tunnels, yards, industrial areas and car storage yards. Keeping the tracks clean used to be a chore, not to speak of cleaning all those wheels. No more! They'res no such thing as dirty wheels or grimy track any more. I also use sound in some of my locomotives, so dirt is a problem that I've had to address. I've made several track cleaning machines over the years and my current one has been operating successfully for about three years. That said, let's rectify your problem. 1.Use your eraser sparingly as it's etching the tops of the rail so grime has a place to hold on to! 2. A bottle of "GOO GONE" will take the oily substance off your tracks! 3. The applicator to use is a rag. My track cleaning cars-I built four to speed up the clean up- are similar to the "Centerline" track car. Mine weighs about a pound and requires four locomotives to pull it. The roller, a brass drum shape is covered with a cloth that you see in use in commercial eateries by the cooks and kitchen help. I strip up these cloths and wrap one around the brass roller nad hold it in place with a small elastic that girls wear in there hair. The elastic allows the car to go back and forth easily. The main reason for the elastic is to retard the rolling motion of the roller and thus the track comes cleaner in less time. On my layout once around the layout and I had to change the rag. Those were the days. This is taking to much time, if you'd like to hear more, I've just begun. The bottom line here is that I can run 100 car trains easily now that I've perfected my cleaning operations. Too bad your in Canada as I make videos and I could show you first hand. enough said.

[Anonymous]

hi rudy; the only thing that will get it off the track is good old elbow grease and some light sand paper VERY LIGHT SANDPAPER. i have been in the hobby for many years and have tried just about everything from lighter fluid (for the old brass rail) to various track cleaning cars. today i use centerline track cleaners with goo gone. this has been the best i have tried. it does a decent job cleaning the rail and leaves little residue on the track. they are a little expensive but worth the price if you do a lot of running. good luck

[Anonymous]

Has anyone tried those electronic track cleaners? I know they don't work with DCC but I figure if I get a switch that will throw my entire layout onto DC from DCC and use it with a DC engine, then I can use it with DCC.

So what's the scoop. I thought these items would be a hit as their is virtually no labout involved, which really appeals to me. So why aren't lots of people using them?

[Anonymous]

Thanks one and all - on my way to hobby shop to purchase Centerline track cleaning car and a bottle of Goo Gone - You know what I'll be doing the rest of the day.
Regards
Rudy

[Anonymous]

i don't think switching from dc to dcc is a good idea. the wheels from a dc powered engine tend to spark a little and cause some oxidation on the rails,therefor dcc will not perform as well. i am personally using a older command control system called dynatrol. all of my friends use the same system. one of them can switch to straight dc when he wants to to test new engines before adding a new receiver to them. we found that the sparks from the wheels can cause the oxidation problem. it is not a serious problem, because we don't do it that often. i can swear by the centerline cars (ho) and goo gone

[Anonymous]

Still looking for advise on the electronic cleaners. I guess I didn't say it very well, but my objective is to be able to throw a switch and my layout becomes dc so I can use the electronic cleaner - which works on dc. I would remove all my engines. Flick the system over to dc, add the one non-dcc engine (dc engine) and let it run around the track, while the sparks and the like do its thing. Then when the track has been cleaned, flick the switch so the layout is back to dcc. Put back engines, and run layout.

The laziness of the electonic cleaner has appeal to me.

[snowey]

well, all I can say is, I've had sucess using RAIL ZIP on a Roco track cleaning car.