CMX Cleaning Car - My First Test Run

Frank-

I’d been using the denim as I had lost my strip of CMX furnished cloth . I found it tonight and installed a piece on the car. You’re right about some fabrics and the denim is included, leaving clumps of thread/fabric on switch points, stuck in guard rails, or caught on frog.

I’ll run it around tomorrow and see if there is any difference.

Mark B.

You will always get black to grey residue. The black stuff is caused by arching that happens every time you run a train.

Rich & Mark,

The corduroy fabric that I got with My two CMX machines, was grey in color and the corduroy seams ran vertical in relation to the rails. It was more of a scrubbing with the seams that slightly over-lapped the rail heads. I still have the original fabric, for like I said I had a corduroy tightly woven fabric blazer that I used, cut into strips the same as the CMX fabric. I have more than enough to last My lifetime. Would not surprise Me that they would have changed the fabric, I don’t see any corduroy clothes on the market anymore. Seems to Me that most Mfg’ers get rid of the things that have worked the best and replace with things that make them more money…I would say more, but it would probably wind up on a different path for this thread to be on the in forum.

Btw: I got My machines about a yr. after they came out and one was a gift and all I ever used in them was lacquer thinner, like they suggested, with no ill effects and they still work like new. The only places I can’t use the machine are My brick streets and crossings, with concrete or the brick between the rails. I clean those by hand and use Maas Silver paste polisher for that and that lasts a long time. The lacquer will eventually take the paint off of those places. A few of My bridges, I also have to be careful, about taking paint off the guardrails…I use the out- ragelously expensive Walthers code 83 bridge track. LOL That adds up real fast on double track bridges…almost five pieces for the double track swing bridge alone.

Nuff’ rambling!

Take Care! [:D]

Frank

The entrance to My junkyard/storage area river double track bridge, that has been working for the past 8yrs. but never finished the river, Hopefully God willin’ it will be done soon, gathering ideas and materials for the river:

[URL=http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/fm_stripe/media/IMG_1541_zps1oaymjoc.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah21/fm_stripe/IMG_1541_zps1

This morning, I once again ran the CMX Cleaning Car twice around the layout, once pulling, once pushing, on each of the two mainlines. Before doing so, I increased the pressure of the cleaning pad. I added two diesels to the consist, so there were four locos involved and I was able to run the consist at 5 speed steps.

The rail is cleaner, but I do agree with Frank that lacquer thinner would act more aggressively and do a more thorough cleaning. I can see that when I apply lacquer thinner on a cloth with my finger guiding it along the rails.

Which brings me back to my initial conclusion that a manual cleaning of the rails with your finger rubbing a cloth with some sort of cleaning fluid on the cloth is the most effective way to clean rail.

Rich

I have been following this thread with interest as I have a new in the box CMX (been there too long) and have several questions.

The drip rate has been mentioned as being from 1/4 to 1/ turn on the valve, but how do you initially wet the pad? Do you wait for the pad to get wet from the drip or do you speed up the process?

Also not having cleaned the track in a long time would it be a good idea to run a drag car in front of the CMX so as to dust the track before it is wetted?

Thanks,

Bob

Bob, I just wait for the pad to get wet from the dripping. You can get down at eye level and watch the drops. I did the recommended 15 drops per minute. I used a pencil to mark the control valve so I knew where the reference point was, and then I made a one half turn. That one half turn gave me 15 drops per minute.

I did not use a drag car. I began by having the loco consist push the cleaning car, so that action easily picked up any dust on the wet cleaning pad.

Rich

To anyone interested. I took three pic’s of the fabric that I got with My CMX cleaning cars and You can plainly see that it is corduroy fabric, with the lines going across the rails, not parallel with them. Corduroy is a soft like material in relation to Denim. When dry it will glide along the rails fairly easy, but when damp or wet will produce a considerable drag, which will make it harder to pull/drag on the rails.

I’m no expert by no means…I learn just like others, just doing it somewhat longer than others and going around the block a lot of times more than once…more so, just to see if I missed anything…[swg]

Take Care! [:D]

Frank

There must be another name and use for this fabric.

It is courdoroy like but you never had a shirt or pants with a backing like that. The humps are called wales in courdoroy, or in this case wide wale courdoroy, but these wales are irregular and lumpy so it wouldn’t be an upholstery coudoroy either. The grooves in courdoroy are also prominent like a plowed field.

So far I am googling without success. Edit I give up, I’m emailing my cousin, the quilter.

BigDaddy,

Once the inside lining was removed, My early 70’s tanish Blazer looked exactly like that…with plain brown suede patches on the elbows…Think Steve McQeen. I believe He wore one in ‘‘Bullet’’ if My memory serves correctly. [swg]

Take Care! [:D]

Frank

I guess I could try to make one or search ebay. I prefer to stay in the $30-40 dollar range.

Back in the 70’s I could have sold you a better looking coat[:D] I might still have my blazer, but there is no chance I would fit in it.[:'(]

When you have a filling the dentist puts dental rolls in your mouth. 2" long and 3/8" in diameter. The above fabric looks like someone had 1/4 round dental rolls glued to the backing.

Just to add a very important point to Rich’s post…the filling hole knob cap must be loosened to a bit off the rubber seal, to allow air into/out of the tank, vented, otherwise nothing will drip out…the more air, the faster it will drip out of the tank.

Take Care! [:D]

Frank

There is always the Walthers Track Cleaning Car Baaaah I can’t get a link to work.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/p/259166/2909727.aspx

Heck…You should have seen the candy apple red patent leather shoes I bought back in the early 60’s just for the hell of it…I didn’t care for the Blue suede shoes.LOL

That fabric reminds Me of tightly wound surgical gauze…I never had a filling and never had a cavity…just had bad gums,weak jawbone, had to have all My teeth pulled in 2002. My Dentist asked Me if He could have My teeth, that He pulled, they were that good, to use in dentures. At going on 75 this yr. I could care less.

Some experts say, it was directly related to the agent Orange spray that they used in Vietnam…I am a disabled vet of Vietnam 1967 and have been compensated for My problems…but I would rather be without the problems…

Take Care! [:D]

Frank

Frank, that is what my corduroy strip looks like as well. I must have misunderstood you when you said, or I thought you said, that the rails fit inside the depressions between the ribs. So, I thought that you meant that your pad ran parallel to the rails.

Rich

Rich,

OK…Atleast they didn’t change that, for I believe it contributes to the performance of the cleaning…rather than just a plain piece.

‘‘Be Happy in Your Work’’! [swg] and when Your done, pick up a tube of Maas Fine Metal Polishing Creme and do all Your rail heads by hand…LOL. I have done just that though on some sidings and trackwork in the brick streets, what a difference! Lasts a long time also, leaves an invisible coating on the NS. I also use it on some of My engines…but it can be some work. Sort of like gleaming the rails, but not using the sandpaper.

Take Care! [:D]

Frank