I’ve been looking around for a good track cleaning car, I have a Caboose but that doesn’t really work well. Just wondering what you all use? And if anyone can recommend me one.
I just have a 4x8 table layout, with to loops.
Thanks
Dan-I had one that was based on a John Allen design.It was a piece of masonite with two nails glued to it.I drilled two holes in the bottom of a box car and inserted the nails.The masonite goes smooth side down and the front and back edges are beveled to avoid catching it on anything.Just put the car anyplace on your train and run it. It does a good job.Bob
Thanks FoulRift, thats sounds interesting but pictures of this would be very helpful.
The usual answer is the CMX clean ´machine. I got one and I love it. It is kind of pricey but for me atleast it is wort every single penny.
Magnus
Sorry Dan-don’t have a picture but I’m sure if you searched you can find one besides I think Lillen has a better idea so please forget about mine.
I wouldn’t say forget about it. I used an old Tyco 60’ box car to make mine. Works pretty good if you don’t feel like spending $100.
You can get the general idea. I spring loaded mine so I added a bunch of weight to the car to keep it from derailing. I just use some 200 grit sand paper to sand the gunk off the pad once in a while. Not too bad for a pile of free junk.
loathar,
How thick is the Masonite? It looks like 1/8". Where did you get 1/8" Masonite with a rough surface on one side? All the 1/8" hardboard I’ve seen is smooth both sides.
Bob
Thanks for the pictures, Lothar.
Any idea why nails over screws?
[tup]
The nails don’t really attach the masonite “pad” to the car, they merely serve as alignment pins to hold the pad over the track as the car goes around. The pad is actually floating on the rails and being pushed around by the car. This allows the pad to move up and down over any track irregularities without derailing the car. The weight of the pad alone should be enough cause it to press down on the railheads causing any gunk to stick to the pad. Also as mentioned, beveling the leading/trailing edges of the pad will prevent it from getting caught on anything sharp like an uneven rail joint or turnout frog. Jamie
Loathar-I did have one way back when.On mine the nails were glued to the side of the masonite away from the rails and I had the smooth side facing the rails.I was amazed at the amount of crud it removed.As to my comment above"seek and you shall find" There is even a picture of it in Andy Sperandeo’s book and wiring a layout-Bob
It’s 1/8" masonite. It comes smooth on both sides or rough on one. I used a romex wire nail like these.(cut the plastic “U” in half)
http://www.mobilemart.com/product.aspx?sku=79325
The nails fit very tight in their plastic “U” housing and holds the pad very well when you pick the car up. I wanted the pad to “float” so I didn’t want to use screws. I tried just putting weight on top of the pad(with no springs) and you can’t fit enough weight in the small space between the pad and car frame. The pad didn’t seem to have enough pressure against the rails. I took a spring out of a ball point pen and cut it down and that provided a lot of down pressure but lifted the car wheels off the rails. Enter…the fishing sinkers…[:D] A little bit of tweaking the springs and weight and it works pretty good.
My masonite pad is too long. (3") I would go about 1 1/2" if I built another one. You can see by the dirt pattern on the bottom that the middle of the pad doesn’t contact the rails as much as the ends due to bumps and dips in my track work. I think a shorter pad would work better.
I might try a piece of sticky back 1/8" cork on the pad to see if that cleans any better than the rough masonite surface.
I’m thinking about painting and decaling this and the Geep that pulls it in CSX mow orange scheme. I’m sure the $100 brass cars work much better, but that ain’t in my budget.[:)]
Folks:
Here’s the V&E version of the famous John Allen Slider Car:
I discovered that Life-Like trainset 40’ boxcars’ weight-retainer bosses are nearly perfectly placed for drilling out, and are even cored partway through to center the drill. 
I didn’t weight the car, just the slider, with large acorn nuts, as big as would fit. They work well and make fun clicking sounds when the car is running. The slides are held onto the nails by hot glue or CA.
The pads are easily interchangeable. Here is what I have:
-Dry masonite pad: a section of masonite pegboard, rough side down, with ends beveled, used frequently to burnish rail and remove dust. I usually tow it behind a LL F7 while I am doing other stuff. I clean it by wire-brushing or sanding. It does pick up a lot of scunge.
-Polishing pad: a piece of wood wrapped in 1200-grit crocus cloth, used after I haven’t run trains for a while. Crocus cloth uses an extremely fine abrasive (jeweler’s rouge), probably finer than a lot of metal polishes, and leaves a mirrorlike finish.
-Wet cleaning pad: a piece of wood with self-adhesive felt. The pad is dampened with 91% isopropyl alcohol, and then the car is run for a while. I follow with the polishing pad to loosen any stubborn crud, and then the masonite pad to pick up any residue.
These cleaners do seem to work, although I have never made any real analysis of their merits. It does seem to keep my brass track clean with only an occasional go-round with alcohol and a rag. In fact, I can’t remember when I last went around with a rag…some spot cleaning has been done but nothing general.
One last bit - I have a 1/2" diameter x 1/16" thick NdFeB magnet stuck to the bottom of my Life Like F7 to pick up any loose nails or metal bits.
It’s really cheap and it really works. That’s what I like.
Autobus Prime-Doh![D)] I never thought about putting weights on top of the nails INSIDE the car![:I]
Boy, some of you must have some very dirty environments! I use CRC 2-26 electronic cleaner HD/Lowes) sprayed on a lint-free cloth and wipe down all the rails once or twice a year. Yes, I do run DCC and 60% of my cars have plastic wheels, (I do have a finished ceiling).
Modelmaker51-YEP! Outbuilding with unsealed cement floor.[xx(] I was using Goof Off/alcohol every few days. Now with that CRC 2-26, I’m only using that about once every month or two.
Between the 2-26 and this home made cleaning car, I’m NOT pulling my hair out anymore.
Me too and never looked back.
It’s unbelievably good. I’m doing construction on my layout and the only cleaning I do is with the CMX. I will pass the white glove test after a single run even in this under construction dirty environment. It is more then worth the money.
Magnus
Ditto … (I miss that icon)
Thanks guys, even know the CMX looks great, but thats out of my price range. So I’ll have to try and bulid a home made cleaning car. Just might try the box car, pad thing.
The best way:
Run your layout !
But sometimes I have to clean the tracks. At first place there’s my Track Cleaning Transfer Caboose.
This works like a Centerline track cleaning car.
Then I bought from Lux a Vacuum Cleaner Car.
And the last purchase was the CMX machine.
This car is excellent for fluids and cleaning. Here’s a video.
Wolfgang