Which way is the best way to clean track?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Its come down to basically 2 ways:

  1. abrasive track cleaning block

  2. using iso alcohol and a towel to wipe

Personally, I’ve been using the cleaning block, but recently, it has been brought to my attention that it is damaging to the track…

is this true?

Does the abrasive block cause more dirt to build up from the little scratches?

Thanks,

Charles

2
  • Get a wood block , some 600 grit or finer sandpaper, and a cell phone.
  • Take a picture of your track.
  • Run the sand paper block back and forth over a small section of track, 10-20 times
  • Take a picture of your track.
  • Rub your bright boy back and forth, the usual number of times you would to clean the track
  • Take a picture of your track.
  • Blow those pictures up and tell us if there are scratches.
3

Or, you could ignore Henry’s suggestion and take others at their word that there will be scratches.

4

Buckle up guys! a track cleaning thread!

Use the alcohol, 91%, and if your daring, use lacquer thinner. If you have track you can’t reach and clean by hand, get a track cleaning car, there are a few different types, all use a pad on the bottom of a railcar, it’s just the car that varies. The abrasive block leaves scratches. How much this matters ? everyone has an opinion.

Here is the best:

https://tonystrains.com/product/cmx-clean-machine-ho/

Mike.

5

I used to use abrasive pads, but now I use liquids on a pad. Which liquid? I use alcohol. Why? It is relatively cheap, easy to find in stores, and is safe to use.

6

Abrasives leave scratches…Scratches trap dirt…Track has to be cleaned more often - It’s a vicious cycle.

I try and leave the original finish on my track as is and use chemicals (e.g. alcohol) to dissolve and remove the grease and dirt from the surface of the rail. I use the same chemical to clean my metal wheels and very seldom need to clean either.

Tom

7

Same here. I also use a rubber eraser and that’s all I use…

8

Denatured alchol and a cloth or track cleaning car. It won’t melt the ties and doesn’t leave a residue like isopropyl alchol.

9

Already did it, pretty much. Except that I used the model railroader’s best friend: a Bright Boy.

Yes, it does leave scratches. And I have photos to prove it.

Ed

10

From where the sun now stands I will use a bright boy forever…I will have to see those scratches with my own eyes.

11

Both actually. Bright Boy followed by a rag with isopropyl alcohol.

When things get bad and I don’t have the time, a little hair clipper oil. I then try to get the isopropyl alcohol rag out as soon as possible to clean up the “black crud” from the clipper oil.

12

The reason abrasives cause more problems is because Bright Boys are only about 250 grit, 600 grit sand paper is still to coarse, there’s a block of rubberized abrasive that is used for guitar polishing that goes up to 8000 grit, at that fineness it would have more of a polishing effect, smoothing out any scratches…

So abrasives are not inherently bad but the fineness of the grit is.

13

In my opinion (borne out by my experience) - dont!

If your layout is in a clean environment, an occasional simple vacuuming of the track will obviate the need for actual track cleaning.
I cleaned my track after ballasting (mostly to remove any dried-on white glue), using an abrasive block meant for cleaning contact points. Some ballasting was done just recently, but the majority of the layout has been in place for over 20 years, and that’s the only track cleaning I do.

The layout room is in my basement, and used mainly for only that purpose. Finished walls and suspended ceiling, concrete floor (vacuumed more often than the layout or track, but never swept), and a door for the room. No heating or air conditioning, but well-insulated, so only a few degrees variation between summer and winter.

Wayne

14

If you PM me your e-mail, I’ll send you the pictures.

Ed

15

Just my 2 cents: I use a nail file for really bad or stubborn spots, and rubbing alcohol for the rest

16

Oh okay, thank you everyone for the replies! I’ll stick with my alcohol and a rag. Charles

17

Ed,I’ll have to see them on my track… I been using a bright boy for six decades and yet to see scratches on my rail with my naked eye or with my glasses on…

Even when I use alcohol I clean the switch frogs with a BB.

18

Brakie,

So, you’re assuming that, if there are scratches too small to see, that there isn’t a problem.

'Cause, as I said, there ARE scratches.

Ed

19

Obviously, the best scratches are on N-scale Peco Code 55 flextrack in a modern era DCC system. Scratches on HO Code 100 Atlas track steam-to-diesel era transition DC systems are not nearly as good. I think everyone will agree with that.

Robert

20

I agree. When I sharpen my chisels (or other cutting tools) I finish up using 6000 or 8000 grit on the edge. I get a mirror finish.

When the crud is bad use the bright boy, then follow up with finer grits.

Paul