Being an avid HO fan, I use a CMX track cleaning car with very satisfactory results. But as with all track cleaning devices I know, it only cleans the top of the rails, leaving me to use a pencil eraser to clean the inside of the top rail. Is there anyone on the market that has a cleaner that also cleans the inside of the rail in addition to the top?
assuming you can reach the track there is a method i have used for years. get a cheap new work glove that has the natural suede leather palm and fingers. the chinese make these for about a buck or two a pair. run this over the rails with a light pressure and the soft surface of the leather will pick up just about any dust and gunk you can reach. clean the crud off the glove with a small wire brush and just keep using it until it wears out.
since i have started this, i have retired all my track cleaning cars and gadgets. if you want to use a solvent on the rails then just wet one finger of the glove with it and use a dry finger afterward.
foolproof and cheap.
grizlump
I found Gary60’s post (#45) - 5th one down- a very interetsting read. I have just received the No Ox and look forward to using it.
http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=111157&page=5
ratled
If you go to the link suggested by ratled, be sure to read the WHOLE thread. There was a lot of discussion on track cleaning there. Not everyone agreed about No-Ox or the Gleam method. Both have strong supporters, probably because they both work.
However, that doesn’t really address your original question. To the best of my knowledge, no one makes any kind of a track cleaning car that cleans the INSIDE of the railheads. Personally, I don’t think it’s necessary since the bulk of the contact between wheels and rails is at the railhead. If you have to rely on the flanges for electrical contact, I think you have other, more serious problems. Railhead contact should be all you need.
Having said that, to insure good railhead contact, consider gleaming your tracks and using No-Ox, too. Best of everything and you’ll probably never have to clean your tracks again!
A clean rag and 91% alcohol works wonders.
I think modelers worry way to much about cleaning track thanks to the infomercials found in MR that’s written by “experts”…
I agree, besides tons of people weather the rails just to take away the shine on the sides of the rail. That’s one of the first things I do before I lay ballast. If your really worried about it then just use a thicker pad on your Clean Machine, a thicker pad will clean the sides.
Take a careful look at the profiles of your wheels sometime. The tread has a taper (max 3 degree for RP25 wheels), and there is a radiused fillet between the flange and tread. Although not required, most manufacturers used tapered treads on their wheels because they are easier to produce that way.
The railhead is not quite perfect 90 degree corners; it has a very, very small radius at each corner.
The result is that the tapered tread or flange fillet makes contact only at the inside corner of the railhead under any normal rolling conditions. But you don’t have to take my word. Paint sides and top of the rail, then scrape just the inside corner of the railhead. You will find your trains will run quite well with just the top inside corner of the railhead conducting.
Gleaming, assuming a reasonably sized round washer is used for the burnishing, is actually a very effective way to clean the inside corner of the rail - which is where it counts most.
just my thoughts and experiences
Fred W
Hey, Brakie, i want to double check what alcohol your using. I assume isopropyl? My mom has a bottle of 70%. Will that work?
70% might work but,all we use at the club is 91% isopropyl alcohol…Your Mother can buy it at Walmart,Walgreens,Dollar General etc…
You don’t need to use a lot of Alcohol on your rag( 3"x3" rag will work) and I suggest using a plastic glove-for safety more then anything and it keeps the black off your fingers.Its best to wrap a plastic bottle lid-a 20 oz pop bottle lid will work-in your rag as this will give you a solid object to push the rag with…I use 2 fingers.
Yes, it will work… but that other 30% is water, doesn’t help you.
I use Denatured Alcohol (grain alcohol with a little gasoline in it to prevent people from drinking it). You can get it cheap at any hardware store (look in the paint department).
Actually that denatured alcohol will burn-not a good idea.
I think the answer is no.