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Discussion Boards => HO => Topic started by: T-Lloyd on May 10, 2008, 08:58:32 PM

Title: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: T-Lloyd on May 10, 2008, 08:58:32 PM
I would like to know the best way to clean my track and engines wheels. I often have many dead spot on the track that i spend time trying to get rid of and would like to know if there is a better way. Currently i do this:

track - use a eraser and rub it over the track
wheels - 99% alchohol and a q - tip

I am pretty sure im cleaning the wheels right but the track im not sure, any help?
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: grumpy on May 11, 2008, 01:59:54 AM
Use the alcohol on a non fraying cloth and wipe the track.
Don :)
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: Hunt on May 11, 2008, 02:30:16 AM
Here is a way to clean
Track
  •   Wipe clean with cloth the track railheads using isopropyl alcohol.
  •   Wipe isopropyl alcohol residue from track with clean cloth.

Locomotive wheels
  •   On the track, clean locomotive’s wheels by holding locomotive and spinning wheels on cloth, not paper towel, soaked with isopropyl alcohol.
  •   Spin locomotive wheels on clean cloth the remove isopropyl alcohol residue.
  •   Place very, very small amount of conductive contact lube on each metal driving wheel tread and electric pickup rub points.




More info in http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,1743.msg14958/topicseen.html#msg14958
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: SteamGene on May 11, 2008, 08:35:25 AM
Don't forget to clean your rolling stock wheels, too!
Gene
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: ta152h0 on May 11, 2008, 01:05:56 PM
I use a rag with some gasoline to get the rough dirt off. then I spray with an electronic contact cleaner and wipe with a rag. that usually gets it all. Now here is a hidden problem that is a little bit ao a PITA to fix and that is rail joiners working loose. Get three os them little buggers loose and you have a problem.
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: T-Lloyd on May 11, 2008, 05:02:44 PM
Quote from: SteamGene on May 11, 2008, 08:35:25 AM
Don't forget to clean your rolling stock wheels, too!
Gene

majority of my rolling stock (85%) wheels r plastic, why do they need to be cleaned?
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: SteamGene on May 11, 2008, 05:43:45 PM
"are plastic" - because they are plastic.  Plastic attracts dirt more than metal does.  The plastic wheels pick up dirt and redistribute it.  Especially clean car wheels if they are plastic.  Take a Q-tip, dip it in alchohol and rub it over the wheel tread. 
Gene
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: Paul M. on May 11, 2008, 09:01:51 PM
Try using a "Brite Boy" or equivalent track eraser to clean your track. I've found that they work best.  Or, you could use plain old white vinegar.
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: GN.2-6-8-0 on May 11, 2008, 09:31:33 PM
Quote from: ta152h0 on May 11, 2008, 01:05:56 PM
I use a rag with some gasoline to get the rough dirt off. then I spray with an electronic contact cleaner and wipe with a rag. that usually gets it all. Now here is a hidden problem that is a little bit ao a PITA to fix and that is rail joiners working loose. Get three os them little buggers loose and you have a problem.

Gasoline! no'no'no'no
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: ebtnut on May 11, 2008, 09:35:37 PM
You mention some dead spots.  Make sure you have good electrical contact to all parts of the track.  The rail joiners can get oxidized and dirty just like the track.  If the track is laid "permanently", solder the track connections or install jumper wires or extra feeders.  As for the track, the suggestions for alcohol are good for light to moderately dirty track are fine.  If there is a serious build-up of crud, ballast glue or paint, then a Brite Boy is probably the answer.  Kadee makes a wheel cleaning device that consists of brass bristles divided by a plastic bar to prevent shorts.  You hook it up to your power supply (or to the track with clip leads), and as you press the brushes against the driver wheels they spin and get clean.  Non powered wheels need the Q-tip and alcohol treatment.  The problem with plastic wheels--they tend to build up a static charge as they roll along.  It is enough to pick up little bits of "stuff".  Stuff collects more stuff.  I've seen wheels with so much crud build up that the flange is almost gone.  Metal wheels are not as prone to this problem.  Don't use gasoline!!! :o  It is WAY dangerous in a variety of ways!
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: Hunt on May 11, 2008, 09:59:44 PM
Quote from: ta152h0 on May 11, 2008, 01:05:56 PM
I use a rag with some gasoline to get the rough dirt off. ...

Please stop using gasoline as a cleaning agent! Cleaning model railroad rails with gasoline is not quite like fishing with dynamite; although, something or someone is going to get injured sooner or later.

If your layout is in an environment where it is exposed to many kinds of contamination that would necessitate the use of a broad utility cleaning agent; then, I recommend lacquer thinner. Adolescents use lacquer thinner only with adult supervision.
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: archie on May 12, 2008, 07:28:16 PM
The next step after cleaning the track and wheels is to apply a single drop of Wahl Hair Clipper oil to each rail.  Don't ask me how it works, it just does.

Also, converting to all metal wheelsets and running your trains often really helps to keep the rails clean, as well.

Archie
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: hgcHO on May 12, 2008, 11:19:13 PM
Has anyone else tried this: Wahl Hair Clipper Oil?   

HGC
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: grumpy on May 13, 2008, 12:05:32 AM
Laquer is just as dangerous as gasoline . Auto paint shops have to use special storage for laquer thinner where I live . I have seen what a laquer fire will do to a building.
Don :(
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: SteamGene on May 13, 2008, 08:31:35 AM
This comes back to the question:  Is automatic transmission fluid a rail CLEANER or a rail CONDUCTOR?
Gene
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: Running Bear on May 13, 2008, 11:07:53 AM
Automatic transmission fluid is NOT good as a cleaning agent. It leaves a film that's a great dirt magnet. Dexron/Mercon transmission fluid is a great lubricant though for plastic gears.

The cure for rail joints working loose is to solder them in place. They'll never work loose again.

A very good cleaning method that will cut your track cleaning down to almost nothing is to polish the rails with metal polish. I used Blue Magic cream metal polish on my layout (about 8x10) back in June of 06 and haven't had any problems with dead spots since. The most cleaning I have to do is just a quick wipe with a dry cloth if the trains haven't been run in  along time. Here's how I did it.

The GLEAM process:

First I sanded the railheads with 600 grit wet/dry sand paper followed by a another sanding with 800 grit. I then used a piece of stainless steel big enough to span both rails to burnish the rail heads. I would press down on it as I ran it back and forth along the track. This closes up any remaining gauges and/or pits that can trap and hold dirt. After the burnishing I used a piece of cork roadbed to apply a thin coating of the Blue Magic metal polish to the rail heads. I did the entire layout. When the polish was dry I used a clean piece of cork to to buff the polish off the rails. I had to get a new piece of cork about every 18 inches. The amount of black crud coming off the track was absolutely astounding! It took me a couple of hours to do the entire layout. Since then I've only had to clean part of the layout once, that was when I spilled some plaster dust on the track. That involved a quick vacuuming and a wipe down with a dry cloth.
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: T-Lloyd on May 13, 2008, 09:01:00 PM
with just using 99% alchohol and a face cloth how often do you think it'll need to be cleaned?
Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: Hunt on May 13, 2008, 11:16:34 PM
My primary recommendation is to clean track railheads (nickel silver) and wheel treads with isopropyl alcohol. Second choice if the alcohol does not do the job is to use Goo-Gone. Several choices in between with last choice on my list being lacquer thinner.

It seems one person and thus perhaps someone else is having difficulty understanding my recommendation to use lacquer thinner instead of gasoline.

Every one need to realize both gasoline and lacquer thinner are hazardous and should be handled properly and used with caution in the manner in which they are intended to be used.

Those not aware need to be aware gasoline is made for a single propose -- to explode!  It is not intended to be used as a cleaning agent.

I recommended lacquer thinner for limit use model railroad cleaning in place of gasoline, even though both are hazardous, because,
  • One of the intended uses of lacquer thinner is a cleaning agent.
  • Lacquer thinner is not near as hazardous as gasoline if responsibly used to clean model railroad track railheads and equipment wheel treads.
  • Lacquer thinner works better than other solvents to remove the difficult types of contamination that can be found on model railroad track railheads and equipment wheel treads. (Do not use on polystyrene wheels)


Title: Re: The best way to clean track and engine wheels?
Post by: Hunt on May 13, 2008, 11:32:27 PM
Quote from: hgcHO on May 12, 2008, 11:19:13 PM
Has anyone else tried this: Wahl Hair Clipper Oil?   

HGC
I use to use it when I had brass track, Jim Banner still does -- see http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,4839.msg41405/topicseen.html#msg41405