I was cleaning the track by hand today on my n-scale layout (its only 33" by 70") and after cleaning the outer loop with a cloth and track cleaner I thoght I’d try the magnet thing, I happen to have a small magnet from an ho uncoupling tool(i lost the other magnet to it) I took the magnet around the loop by hand and discovered that it was very efective in pulling quite a bit of metal shavings and other things off the track. I wanted to make a track cleaning device out of this magnet but did not want to experiment on my atlas and micro trains rolling stock so I found a much cheaper bachmann boxcar. It had the perfect clearence under the frame because of its larger wheels. It super glued the magnet to the underframe on an angle so it would not have any overhang on the rail. It worked perfectly! My life like 0-6-0t can easily push it around the layout! The uncoupling tool the magnet cam from was about $3 and the car about $4. Now im desiging a second car made from a longer boxcar and some cloth.
Matt(g)