A cheap but good track cleaning car.

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

I don’t have $100.00 + for a track cleaning car so after seeing what others had done, I built my own.
A cheap but good track cleaning car.
Materials:
(1) Menards $7.00 Flat car
(1) 6”x1” piece of round metal bar stock
¼” plywood for bar support and pad support
(1) Krogers extra strength erasing pad
Hot glue
Locktite CA gel glue

Cut plywood to fit inside under car.
Cut pad to fit plywood
Drill holes in plywood to align with screw bosses on bottom of car.
Secure plywood to car with screws. No glue on car bottom.
Drill 1” hole in plywood for bar support then cut in half for bar supports.
CA glue bar supports to top of flat car
Hot glue pad to plywood base. Can be removed to replace pad with a new one.
Apply CRC electrical cleaner to pad set car behind a engine and place bar stock on car, pull car around track and,done. Picture is after two laps around the layout.

2

Great job!

3

Thanks for posting. I’m going to build one for myself. I don’t have the Menards car but do have a Railking gondola that could work.

4

Love it, been thinking I need a track cleaning car but your right on prices. I’m going to pick up and old flat and copy yours.

thanks

Scotie

5

Thanks, If you need anymore info just PM me with questions. It only took about an hour to make.

One thing: When I replace the pad I will leave it about 1/4" wider so it overhangs a bit… The size it is it misses the outside rail on some curves.

6

Very nice. I did something similar with a flatcar - used wooden blocks as a ‘load’ because Thomas had a hard time with other weights, and a ‘scotch-brite’ pad. I also experimented with cutting the pad for curves so it wouldn’t hang-up on anything and ended up raising it a bit so it wouldn’t catch on my old switches.

7

I’m in HO scale, but I use these:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/931-1753

8

Doug, If you noticed I used a razor knife and cut a small bevel on the edges of the pad that contact the track. I travel over 9 switches on the main loop and it had no ill effects. The extra weight helps the cleaning but it does need a strong engine with good couplers that won’t open up.
I am just learning as I go along. So far I am happy with the outcome. [;)]

9

Kev,

Good job !

Does the CRC cleaner leave any kind of residue/film on the track and if so is there any kind of compatability issues w/traction tires ?

I use denatured alcohol with mine. If one isn’t careful with it though it does present a heck of a fire hazard.

10

DougDG, The CRC cleaner leaves NO residue but it will burn if it is put in the right situation. I was using the denatured alcohol with mine and had all kinds of issues with residue and rusting or something like that on the rails. Something in it so you can’t drink it as I understand. I could be way off but I hated it. Plus I did not like having flammables like that sitting on the workbench with grand-kids around… The CRC dries fast and lifts the crud very good. I used to use it on the sponge side of a Scotch Bright pad but on the car I can get into all of those hard to get areas. It does not bother the plastic and I have seen no issues with traction tires but others may have. It seems to dry off so fast it would not be an issue.

11

I tried and failed to make a track-cleaning car recently. I used a Scotch-Brite pad, but was unable to get it to go over my turnouts. The closest Kroger store is 80 miles away; so, if you can tell me what the eraser is, I might be able to find a substitute here.

I usually enjoy using real railroad spikes when I need to weight a car; but they’re always hidden. In this case, I would put them out there in place of the metal bar, for all to see.

12

Bob, The erasing pads are Kroger’s knock off of the Mr Clean pads. Most places have their own discount brand of erasing pad. Some are not true rectangle pads and the original Mr Clean it too thick and hard to cut down evenly. Also some pads have chemicals added to them like the Mr Clean Bath scrubber.
The Kroger pad is a true rectangle that measures 4.8” long x 2.3” wide x 0.7” thick. Works perfect. Just need to cut the length to what you want and be sure you cut the bevel into the edges that contact the track. I would suggest you go to the store and just look for something that looks like it will do what you want. I am sure you will find something that can substitute .

Any weight will do I just used what I had on hand and thought it would look like a true load but on a cleaning car nothing will make it look too real. A spike is not as heavy as the bar and more weight is better. Maybe use a gondola car with two spikes.

13

If you are worried about a chemical reaction with the tires, I would opt for using a loco with magna-traction instead, if your rails are real steel (not stainless or other metal). I’m planning to build my own in time.

14

Well done

Tried CRC once, rubbertired drivers slipped a lot. I have used drugstore rubbing alchol for many years. Works good enough for me. Dries so fast there is no rust. Of course others have their own preference.

S.J.

15

I use real rail spikes for weights and loads too, Bob! I have used both scotch-brite brand and super-market (nee Walmart) brands - and made the pad work better over turnouts by adjusting it on the screws that the pad is spiked upon under the car. I pulled up the front-end a bit and it moves over the turnout as if I was dragging a loose cloth along.

16

I am thinking the only way CRC Electrial cleaner could cause a slippage is if you were to spray it directly on the traction tires or you tried to drive on it as soon as it hit the track.
I used the cleaning car today. Sprayed the CRC on the cleaning pad and “pulled” it around with our Union Pacific NW-2 Switcher # DS1315 Williams by Bachmann engine. The CRC was way dry before the engine ever got back to the spot where it started. I don’t think what you use is going to be a problem whatever it is you like unless whatever you use does not dry quickly.

It seems to work fine as I have it now. But now to clean the pad??? [%-)]