Hi. I’m constructing my 5’ x 10’ layout and part of the lower reversing loop will be covered by a tunnel (and an upper loop). While I’ll have some (awkward) access to the tunneled track from below I hope to access it less than rarely (never say “never”). I have read the forum about track cleaning and today, before covering the tunnelled part of the lower loop, I “Gleamed” the installed track (about 3/4 of the main track is down, I did it all). I did the 400 + 600 sandpaper, stainless steel washer burnishing (you can really feel the smoothness created), followed by Simichrome polish and denatured alcohol. Boy, it made thing run perfectly, where the (DCC) GP9 had begun some hiccupping at spots…that went away. (I also cleaned the GP9 wheels by running over a paper towel soaked with alcohol).
So, presuming I want to rely on Gleaming as my base method, and since I’ve got a covered section I want to hardly ever (ok, never) touch, I’ve got to ask for opinions on how best to stretch Gleamed track performance.
For instance, I noted in an old thread the idea of using a track cleaning car running SS washers to keep the rails smooth. If that’s a good idea, is there a base car where I could easily substitute SS washers (one or more per rail) such as the Walthers “Stealth” cars?
And would running a denatured alcohol car also help?
How about inhibitors: e.g., I saw reference to a Walthers “No-Ox” item?
Again, I’m interested in how to optimize use of the Gleaming process as the base approach.
Thanks for any guidance.
In my opinion, your best defence is a clean layout room. That means finished walls and ceilings at least, no carpet on the floor, a door on the room where the layout is located and absolutely no pets (well, maybe a lizard or a fish - but nothing with hair).[swg] in the same room. If your layout is in the basement, a finished floor is nice, but if it’s not possible, never sweep the floor - use a vacuum instead. If your rolling stock, structures or scenery, for some strange reason, get dusty, do not dust them in the layout room: either take them outside or use the brush attachment on your shop vac to clean them. The same method is also useful on the track, and is a lot easier than traditional track cleaning.
I don’t gleam my track, but, except after ballasting or applying scenery alongside the track, I don’t clean track either.
Wayne
Gleamed track is supposed to need nothing more than dusting. If it is done properly, its results should last for a number of years according to its proponents. However, we all know that a layout that languishes for weeks at a time is going to accumulate some dust on the rail tops. I would wrap some clean old bed sheet around my index finger and run that over the rails, turning the cloth frequently.
Crandell
I, too, have fully gleamed track, hidden track that is effectively impossible to reach and a dust problem. My solution is to run a few John Allen - type slider cars - the car has a masonite pad underneath, guided by the car floor but not attached to it. The tops of the machine screws that guide the pad are loaded with a couple of ounces of weight, and the whole assembly is effectively free floating.
Track that I can reach is vacuumed, as is the floor. It’s part of general cleanup, not track alone.
My analog DC powered locos may be more forgiving than DCC power, but I haven’t had any problems to date.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I regleamed my entire layout when I rebuilt it to accommodate a new track plan. There are a couple of places that are difficult to reach for wiping down. I’, out in a rural area where the dirt road is king and dust gets into every nook and cranny and that includes my layout. So if the trains haven’t been run for a while I have to give the rails a quick wipe to remove any accumulated dust. I also had to wipe it down periodically to remove the black buildup that results from the oxidation of nickel silver. I found something in a box of donated freight cars that has really helped in getting to those hard to reach areas. It’s a Bachmann track cleaning tank car. It doesn’t use any cleaning liquids or solvents, just a dry pad that drags along underneath the car like the Masonite pad on the homemade John Allen cars. It does a very efficient job of cleaning those hard to reach places and I keep it in the train to keep the oxidation down. It works beautifully. Once every couple of weeks I lightly scrub the cleaning pad (which is dishwasher safe by the way) with a toothbrush dipped in 91% alcohol. For an extra little cleaning measure I can pour a little alcohol on the pad and this helps with the oxidation. I can drag my fingers over an eight foot section of track and pick up a hardly discernible amount of a black ash looking residue from anywhere on the layout. So now I don’t even have to lightly wipe the track anymore. The Bachmann car does it for me. All I have to is occasionally give the pad a light scrub with the toothbrush. Takes about three seconds.