Dust Control

[Algonquin]

Classic Toy Trains magazine has recently had articles on dusting toy train collections. In the coresponence section of the March 2001 issue, Mr. J. D. Gardner Jr. indicates that he keeps his train room 100 percent dust free with an air cleaning unit.

I have planned to install a dust removal system in my basement train room (950 sq ft). To date I only have a dehumidifier.

Based on my searching of the internet, it appears that there are two main types of dust removal systems for the home. The first is a filter type. The most common filter type would be a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestor/Air). I am familiar with these type because I use them in the nuclear power industry, in which I work, to filter out radioactive dust particles.

HEPA filter units will remove pollens, dust, smoke, bacteria, viruses and mold spores. These filters removes 99.97% of all particles 0.3 microns and larger. These units require periodic replacement of the filters.

The second type are ionizing units. These units generate negative ions. These negative ions attract dust, pollens and other polutants in the air and cause them to attach to the the ground surface in the unit. I assume you would have to periodically clean the ground surface to remove the contaminants.

Most units I have seen specify the square foot area they cover.

I would like to know if other Forum members have had experience with these types of dust control units. I plan to invest in one in the next month or two. They sound like a worthwhile investment.

Tim P.

[JFermani]

Thats sounds like a good idea. When you find out let me know as well. I am in the beginning stages of building my basement layout and I do not want to have to dust the layout or display very often.

Joe Fermani

[Algonquin]

I decided last week to dive into a dust control system for my train room. After searching the internet and identifing that there are many companies manufacturing and selling air cleaners, I decided to buy from a company that was local and I have always had good service from - Sears.

Sears was selling Honeywell as well as their Kenmore brand. The internet had some great discount prices on Kenmore air cleaners and my local Sears store gave me the units at the internet posted price. I bought two Kenmore 500 sq. ft. capacity HEPA Air Cleaner Units for my 950 sq. ft. basement train room.

I am going to locate them in the room apart and where I think they can provide the most benefit. I have two main flow paths into the room.

One air flow path into the train room is from the staircase from the main floor of the house. This path would tend to bring dusty air down into the train room. I will locate on of my units near the bottom of the stairs. Hopefully, this will tend to capture most of the dust before it is transported to other arears of the train room.

The second path is on the other side of the train room where there is an opening from the crawl space to the train room. I will locate the second unit under my layout table near this opening.

The cost to operate these units is also something to consider. The initial cost of these two units was about $480. The replacement HEPA filters are not cheap, about $140 each. Based on my discussions with the salesman, they typically last 6 months to a year. That would amount to $560 a year if I replace them every 6 months.

The units have an indicator that tells you when the HEPA filter needs to be replaced. It will be a while before I will be able to post on how effective they are at reducing dust in the train room. I have a general feeling for how fast dust settles now, I will compare that to the rate of dust settlement with these new units.

In the meantime, I will just play with my trains and wait for the dust to settle.

Tim P.

[Anonymous]

Tim, I have two layouts: the 6-1/2 x 11 foot is in my model shop 100% complete HO. The other I am building upstairs in what was my office. Since I have retired, it is ideal for my last layout, also HO. When I was a consultant, my computers required a "clean room". The room is completely closed and equipped with a replacable filter on the incoming air flow from the home heat/cold central conditioning system. There is another filter on the return air duct back to the system plenum. I keep all my steam engines in the roundhouse to prevent dust settling on them. The roundhouse doors open and close behind an engine as it enters or leaves, no problem, works fine for two years now.
I made a cloth dust cover to cover the layout in my model shop, and roll it back when operating, and ALWAYS roll it back when finished. Have had no problem here either. This is the layout I will probably sell when the new one is finished.
My dad covered my Lionel layout this way in 1935 and worked all the years we lived there. We would wash it every autumn, and spring, was easy.