We all know that clean tracks are essential to reliable and pleasant operation of our layouts. With a little bit less than 200 linear feeth of tracks (not an empire, but not a simple oval either) my actual cleaning method witch involve almost exclusively the use of the well known Brightboy pad has become an unpleasant task. I am still to find an efficient (excellent results with the lower level of effort possible) strategy to do the job.
Please, let me know what is your best track cleaning strategy.
Ive heard it said that brite boys put tiny scratches in track that attracts dirt and such( but I have never tried it ) I use super fine wet/dry 1200 paper and alcohol or cr-2 and buff. I have also polished (gleamed ) in side of helix with good results ,but I ALWAYS wipe down with Cotton T-shirt to get dust off before I run …Jerry
Be prepared: You will end up getting a whole boat-load of answers and techniques for cleaning track.
With that said, I do not like nor care for any sort of abrasive for cleaning track. Abrasives like sandpaper and Bright Boys end up leaving tiny little scratches in the polished rail that attracts more dirt; thereby increasing the frequency of cleaning your track. Instead of abrasives, I prefer chemical cleaning.
91% Isopropyl alcohol does a good of cleaning track. Still better is lacquer thinner, which is what I prefer. The downside to lacquer thinner is the odor.
It’s best to use lacquer thinner in a well-ventilated area. To help minimize the odor, I clean my track with a CMX car:
Although it’s not inexpensive, it does a very good job.
The knurled knob in the center controls the amount of “drip” onto the cleaning pad that contacts the track. And being made of brass, you can use a number of different cleaning solutions inside the tank. If you do use a cleaning car like the one pictured above, I’ve found that you need a fairly hefty locomotive (or powered A-B F-units) to pull the car around the layout. A single yard switcher just won’t cut it.
This may not be as practical a solution for a switching layout. However, it works very well. You can also use 91% Isopropyl or lacquer thinner on a piece of the lent-free cloth and wipe it along the top of the rail. You can then take note what parts of your layout tends to get the dirtiest the quickest.
You might try the “gleam” method of track conditioning.
It involves cleaning the track thoroughly {various ways may be recommended}and then “gleaming” the track with a stainless steel washer. By rubbing a stainless steel washer over the track, you smooth out any grooves or scratches in the track’s surface, which collect dirt, hindering electrical conductivity.
If you go to the right side margin here, and scroll down, you will find the “search our community” box and if you type in “gleam method” or “gleam” or anything “gleam”, it will turn up many threads on the subject and you will find out how to use the gleam method to condition your track for fewer cleanings.
Yes microscopic scratches cause dirt collection. The scratches offer more surface metal to be exposed to the air. Yes, nickel silver rail does oxidize. Most texts will tell you that the oxide is conductive rather than brass oxide which is an insulator. The real world result is somewhere in the middle. Yes NS oxide is conductive but in DCC it causes resistance. DCC doesn’t like that and will show up as missed commands and flickering lights and splashy sound.
Clean track is a must but it can be too “dry”. It will form oxidation from small arcing the goes on unseen.
Consider a track preparation liquid after the polishing of the rail with the above mentioned 1200 grit emery paper. NOT flint or garnet paper. There are a number of treatment options out there and each have their followings. Stabilant 22, Rail Zip, ATF, Wahl oil. See what modelers use in your area, dirt and humidity may be a factor and one product may work better than others.
Gidday, My favourite, “The John Allen Track Cleaning Car”.
Local policy is that all trains must have at least one cleaning car per consist. A quick light sand of the masonite pad when required, (and it is required on that pad !!).
Do a search on GLEAM. It involves a bit of effort on your part but you only have to do it once with an occasional touch-up. I GLEAMed my layout in 2006 and didn’t have to clean the track again (aside from a quick wipe with a clean cloth once in a while) until late last year when I tore down and rebuilt over half of my layout.
Guy, while many will go Yuck, I run Train Line track cleaning cars in all my freight trains. Not great looking being they look a little small but they do the job. Plus they are cheap compared to other method’s at $19.95.
I started having problems with dirt track when I went DCC. Talk to my LHS and asked them about high end tracking cleaning cars. (saw some around the club layout at the shop) He told me they where a waste of money and a bright boy was the best way. Then I spotted the Train Line cleaning cars on the layout and asked him about them? His answer was “we use them in the tunnels and under the mountain’s”.
I was sold with having around 30 feet of tunnels. I now have 4 and they work like a charm.
I have not had to clean the track except a few turnouts for a few years now.
Of course lots of good ideas. Even after years and years in the hobby, I learned about the gleam method on this blog, so I will try. We have tried metal polish, etc but eventually a contact medium is helpful after cleaning.
So far for us(about 350’ & 15 years on this layout) synthetic automatic transmission fluid works best. You can use, wipe it off and reapply. I’ve had it last over a year or two in a not so clean environment. There was a good article in MRR May 2011 magazine on this method. But, I can certainly see an advantage to cleaning, gleaming and then using atf for maintenance. Gleaming should help burnish the metal which is different than polishing.
Gleamed my track, about 300’, four+ years ago, haven’t had to do it since. i do have three masonite pads under three boxcars because two of my locos don’t like the oxidation. Clean the pads now and then and everything runs fine. I consider using a briteboy a capital offense.
As I posted last year and the post has reappeared right here on the forum this date 4-13-12, but I use a few drops of automatic transmission fluid on the rails and as the trains run they drag and coat the track with the fluid and clean the wheels as well.
Some “experts” say it does not conduct electricity, well my engines run a whole lot better since using it and that has been for several years. It works.
I also favor the John Allen track cleaning type car. I also prep my track after doing any scenery work in any area.
First I use a bright boy to clean the track. There are different grades of Bright-Boy blocks. I favor the softer ones. Perfect makes one that is yellow and has a finer abrasive than most.
After cleaning with the Bright-Boy, I run my finger over the rails to remove the grit left behind.
Next I apply some WD-40 by spraying some on a finger, then rubbing it on the rails for a foot or so.
Next I run a train through it to distribute it around the layout. This helps with the conductivity and does away with the dry track, but does not oil it. (I have used Rail-Zip before and do not recommend it as it builds up.)
Once this is done, I keep the track clean from this point on by running the Masonite pads on some box cars. I try to have one cleaning car in each train. I also have a Masonite cleaning pad that is weighted that I use “once in a while”.
Since adopting this method, I have not had to do a complete layout track cleaning in over two years. I run my trains at least once a week. I do have a propane heater in my train room, and I have found that when it is on for a period of time, the track around it does get dirty and requires extra cleaning. To do that, I usually use a heavy or weighted Masonite pad that has some WD-40 applied to it. I push this car first, then a loco, then another car with a clean weighted pad. This takes care of that track area.
Now, as almost fool proof as this method is, there are times that some turnouts require a small wiping with a Bright-Boy and then the afore mentioned prep work. I think cleaning with a Bright-Boy in different localized areas is also common with any track cleaning method. Certainly the Masonite pad cleaning system is inexpensive and is something that you can build yourself.
So I went out to Wiki to see what I could find about ATF. I never thought much about it. I was the automatic transmission guy here in Boise for Mercedes Benz and Volvo when I worked for the dealership in the 70’s and 80’s. I never had dirty hands at the end of the day. ATF has a lot of detergent in it along with a kerosene (at the time) base.
I rather think that Rail Zip is a synthetic ATF with some other stuff that Pacer has added. It really smells just like a transmission.
So here is what I found… among other stuff
From Wikipedia:
Modern ATF typically contains a wide variety of chemical compounds intended to provide the required properties of a particular ATF specification. Most ATFs contain some combination of rust inhibitors, anti-foam additives, detergents, dispersants, anti-wear additives, anti-oxidation compounds, surfactants, cold-flow improvers, high-temperature thickeners, gasket conditioners, and petroleum dye.
I’ve tested the conductivity of Dexron ATF with a meter. Didn’t EVEN make the needle twitch. Not even a tiny bit! I checked the meter by putting the probes in water. Water made the needle go almost half way up the scale. Salt water even higher. Oh, I already know what you’re thinking. You tested Dexron/Mercon, not regular ATF, that’s different. Well the regular ATF and ATF+4 had the very same reading. Zero. With 91% alcohol the needle had as much life as a rock competing in a footrace with a fish. Zero! Now, in a test with Krud Kutter the needle went almost halfway up the scale. That stuff’s conductive in a big way! Brake fluid? Zero. Goo Gone? Zero. So as far as ATF being electrically conductive? Hah! Big time MYTH BUSTED! My acrylic paints are much more conductive. That doesn’t mean I’m going to try cleaning my track with them.
Same here! I GLEAMed mine back in 2006 and didn’t have to do a track cleaning until last year when I rebuilt half my layout and put down new track. Even then I only had to GLEAM the new track. The old track that’s still in place is getting along fine with the original 2006 GLEAMing. The only thing I have that resembles a cleaning car is a tank car dragging a dry felt pad. The only cleaning agents I use are 91% alcohol and Krud Kutter. Those are used on the locos (cleaning wheels on alcohol pad) and the rolling stock (cotton swab wetted with Krud Kutter to wipe the wheels IF they need it. They rarely do, even the plastic ones.
So does ATF really need to be conductive or only hold oxygen away from the nickel silver so the wheels can crush through it and find real metal that is clean?
One of the big advantages of nickel-silver over brass is that the oxide of nickel-silver is conductive, while the oxide of brass is not. So, keeping the oxygen away from your rails isn’t all that important.
I have subways on my layout, so track cleaning in the tunnels is a real issue. My solution is also the CMX track cleaning car, best used with lacquer thinner. 3 or 4 times a year is about as often as it needs it.
