Track cleaning cars

[mikesmowers]

I am wondering about track cleaning cars, do they work? if so what is the best to buy? Also, do you run them all the time with the rest of the rolling stock or just when needed? Thank You. Mike

[Anonymous]

I used to run lots of track cleaners with some degree of sucsess, but it is much easier to clean your track with MAAS metal polish. It doesnt leave any oily residue, but it protects your track. If you are looking for proof I cleaned my track with MAAS almost 2 years ago and havent cleaned an inch of track since.

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mikesmowers
I am wondering about track cleaning cars, do they work? if so what is the best to buy? Also, do you run them all the time with the rest of the rolling stock or just when needed?

Our club has three of the roller kind and six of kind that drag a flat plate under the car. They collect a ton of gunk but overall I don't know that they really help. Unless they get cleaned frequently, they could just be smearing the gunk from place to place.

[Anonymous]

I use a centerline and it works great. I run it about once a month, there is no labor to speak of and it gets all the important spots. Its not that I need to run it that much but I like to know that the rails are clean. I used polish once but I still ended up running the centerline car, just my preferance i guess.

[cmrproducts]

This track-cleaning question comes up all the time. And there are so many ways to do track CLEANING.

But I just got tired of cleaning my track. IS cleaning track more fun that running trains? It seems so as everyone has his or her own method.

But why do we have to keep cleaning the track? It obviously doesn’t work, as YOU keep having to do it over and over. WHY?

Wouldn’t it be better if you eliminated the problem and NOT have to clean track again!

Why are there so many different ways of cleaning track? Because they don’t work!

The trains won’t stay running smooth for long and you are back to CLEANING the track again, Right?

I finally got tired of cleaning 2800 feet of track as it took the better part of a day to do. I am a model railroader not a cleaning fanatic. If I want to do cleaning I can go upstairs and dust the house (the wife would love it!) and I do, so going down to the basement is the last place I want to be and have to clean track. I just want to run trains!

So I finally tried the metal polish on my rails. It STOPPED having to clean the rails period!

Yes all of your other ways work but you keep doing them over and over. I DON’T!

I just had a mini OPs a few weeks ago and had 25 operators in for a 4-hour session! . And I did not clean the track before the session. In fact I haven’t cleaned the track since July of 2003. I only clean the loco wheels occasionally

So what am I trying to say is! Use the metal polish any type and it stops the track cleaning - period!

Unless that is the only reason you have for running your trains (to use that expensive track cleaning car)!

BOB H – Clarion, PA

[scubaterry]

Not to be an instigator but I tried the metal polish and it didn't do the trick for me. I live in the FLorida Keys with the Atlantc ocean four hundred yards one way and the gulf one block the other way. The humidity is so high you can see it in the air. I did the metal polish with the cork etc etc and was running my CMX less than a week later. It worked great for a couple of days but short lived. My point being that what works for one person does not automatically mean it is a universal cure all for everyone in the hobby. You have to experiment with various methods and find what works for you and your location, environment etc. Personally, running my CMX around the track a couple times a week is no big deal to me. The only time taken really is filing up the tanker. I remotored an old Athearn BB F7 and its only job is cleaning detail.
Terry

[jbinkley60]

QUOTE: Originally posted by scubaterry

Not to be an instigator but I tried the metal polish and it didn't do the trick for me. I live in the FLorida Keys with the Atlantc ocean four hundred yards one way and the gulf one block the other way. The humidity is so high you can see it in the air. I did the metal polish with the cork etc etc and was running my CMX less than a week later. It worked great for a couple of days but short lived. My point being that what works for one person does not automatically mean it is a universal cure all for everyone in the hobby. You have to experiment with various methods and find what works for you and your location, environment etc. Personally, running my CMX around the track a couple times a week is no big deal to me. The only time taken really is filing up the tanker. I remotored an old Athearn BB F7 and its only job is cleaning detail.
Terry

I just got my CMX car this week. I haven't tried it yet but plan to soon (once I get done with the glue). WHat do you generally put in it, rubbing alcohol ?

[claycts]

Minatronics Electric Clean II $119.95 and a WASTE OF MONEY! Only works on CLEAN DCC TRACK or DIRTY DC. Keeps tripping the breakers!!
Bought a $19.95 drag type cleaner and it works fine. The polish idea SOUNDED good. Will try Flitz when I have time to polish 850 Ft of track.
The best wayy to a clean track is RUN THE TRAINS and clean the wheels.
If I read a LITTLE CROSS tonight it is based on the fact that a high priced cleaning item MUST have clean track to WORK!!
If you want more on this I will post (vent) more.
Take Care (pass the Scotch)
George P.[}:)]

[scubaterry]

jblinkley - Yes I use alchohol. I prefer to stay away from the more noxious chemicals like acetone etc. They work better but I find alchohol works just fine. I have a 14 x 12 ATR and usually two passes does the trick. I go slow with it and adj the flow until I can run my finger along the track behind the CMX car and come up with a damp finger. I really like the CMX it does a great job.
Terry

[fsm1000]

Ok I keep hearing about this metal polish. What kind do you guys use? I use nickel silver track so do I use brasso? silver polish? whct?
Also how do you apply it? One guy said cork. Do you dab it on the cork and rub or what?
Thanks ahead of time.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

QUOTE: Ok I keep hearing about this metal polish. What kind do you guys use? I use nickel silver track so do I use brasso? silver polish? whct?
Also how do you apply it? One guy said cork. Do you dab it on the cork and rub or what?
Thanks ahead of time.

Blue Magic metal polish worked for me. I tried Mother's mag wheel polish and MAAS and they didn't work well. Don't forget to burnish your railtops with a piece of stainless steel. This closes up pits and pores in the surface that can collect dirt. One of my friends failed to do this and his track was dirty a week later. He went back and used the SS and did the polish again. He hasn't had to clean his track since. That was nearly 2 months ago, in a very humid and dusty environment. I got my piece of stainless steel by cutting a length of it from an old stainless steel form handle. It must be long enough to span both rails. This process works. If it doesn't, my track is staying clean for some unknown reason. I used to have to clean it twice a week. I haven't cleaned it for two months and my trains run great.

[Bill54]

I bought the CMX Clean Machine and used alcohol in it to clean my track. It worked great. I pulled it with a Proto SD50. You could see the difference as the engine made the second loop. First time around the headlight was flickering. Second trip the light was solid. I have an NCE DCC system. With DCC the tracks need to be clean or the decoder will not receive signals well, hence the flickering light.

I've used fingernail polish remover but it tends to make any plastic areas soft and it didn't do any better of a job.

If you go the car cleaner route you will need to clean the tracks at least weekly. I'm going to try the gleam system,.(burnish rails and then poli***hem), when I get a chance. For now the CMX car will have to keep them clean.

Bill

[Anonymous]

I also live in Florida where there's plenty of humidity, although not as much of the salt air as when I lived right on the ocean, like Terry. The polish didn't last long there for me, either. I've tried it here, and it works better, but not a whole lot.

I use the CMX with acetone. Carefully, yes, both to keep from removing paint or melting plastic, and not to breathe the fumes. BUT it will remove all sorts of gunk, paint, glue, etc., even better than alcohol. AND it leaves no residue to collect more dirt, etc.

I also use acetone on a Q-tip for wheels. Yes, carefully!

Once I had the sense to clean all track, locomotives, and cars at the same time, I've only had to clean track where I've managed to get paint, plaster, or glue on the rails. In two years.

Depending on where you live, how dusty your room is, etc., I'd recommend starting with polish. If that doesn't work, try the CMX with alcohol -- if that works for you, fine. If not, try acetone. Carefully.

[fec153]

When using a track cleaning car , PUSH it. Don't pull it.
Flip

[waltersrails]

would a bachmann one work?