Cleaning Track

I've tried everything.  The best way by far is rotary dremel with brush--even for cleaning cars/engines wheels.  Turns hours into minutes.  The old Q-tip and solvent method took an hour to clean 8 wheels.  With dremel, about 2 minutes.  I use to dread cleanning wheels.  I have a cleanning station set-up in my fiddle yard ready to go--EASY.

My only exception are my turnouts.  I use a brightboy so I have more control over my instrument around the fragile points.

I've never heard of the dryer sheet method. I'll have to try it and see how it works.

I was a firm believer in Goo Gone. I started having issues with connectivity, poor command control performance (when I used command control at home), and even worse conventional control performance. I couldn't figure out what was going on until I started taking track apart. All of the track pins and inside of the rails (tubular) were coated in greasy, black grime from years of Goo Gone use. I like Goo Gone for wheel cleaning (for the rare times I actually clean wheels) but I will never allow it near my track again. I had to replace all of the track on the layout after that one! As you can imagine, once that was done, everything worked great again. I've heard some having issues with GG eating traction tires, etc. I never had that happen.

I use alcohol on a paper towel - works OK. I have also started using a dry cloth to wipe the track down. I have seen some minor surface rust after using alcohol (likely because I'm pretty heavy handed when pouring) in a few sections of track. The "dry rub" works just as well, if not better.

Just regular ole rubbing alcohol, been using it for years. I always have a Brite Boy handy for quick touch-up spots.

 You get rust on the track after using alcohol because alcohol absorbs moisture out of the air. The alcohol evaporates, but leaves the moisture behind, which then proceeds to rust your equipment.

Use lighter fluid (hardware store Naphtha) to clean all your track and rolling stock. It is a far superior solvent and cleaner, and does not cause the problems that alcohol does.

Larry

Be careful with naptha.  It's explosive.  I use CRC Brakleen or LectraClean.  CRC also makes a cleaner that is claimed not to affect plastic.

Magic Eraser with mineral spirits works very well on both my Gargraves flex and Fastrack when clean it. Makes a world of difference in DCS and TMCC signal strength, my dead spots go away after a good cleaning.

TrainLarry posted:

 You get rust on the track after using alcohol because alcohol absorbs moisture out of the air. The alcohol evaporates, but leaves the moisture behind, which then proceeds to rust your equipment.

I've never gotten rust with alcohol, that maybe in theory, but not in practice.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

TrainLarry posted:

 You get rust on the track after using alcohol because alcohol absorbs moisture out of the air. The alcohol evaporates, but leaves the moisture behind, which then proceeds to rust your equipment.

I've never gotten rust with alcohol, that maybe in theory, but not in practice.

Never Ever. Had rust from using rubbing alcohol. I repeat, been using it for years.

Myself prefer the dry method that is how we have cleaned track for the last 77 years in this family.  It was how we were brought up. Our Grandfather had us clean the used track that he would get in the shop. It was the first job I had in the family business as a kid. The wheels and rollers we have always used a wire wheel to clean them. We have never used chemical's of any type to clean these items. 

I use crc heavy duty silicone to wipe lionel fastrack down then when i run trains i use alcohol to clean it. I was using wd40 but the crc doing better. I don't use scotchbrite pad anymore.  

Silicone is a lubricant.

RJR i know that LOL 

I've never used any liquid on my track. I simply put three fingers in a white sock and place each finger over a rail. Press firmly and rub along the rails. Works great.

Rod Miller

romiller49 posted:

I simply put three fingers in a white sock and place each finger over a rail. Press firmly and rub along the rails.

My wife would shoot me if I mistreated my socks that way!  Racing stripes on the socks?

I would believe that an organization that runs trains 6 days a week an average of 6 hours a day would hold some credibility to keeping track clean.

but with the number of threads on the subject it will never be settled.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/s...tring=cleaning+track

Bottom line, there is more that 1 way to clean track.

bigdodgetrain posted:

I would believe that an organization that runs trains 6 days a week an average of 6 hours a day would hold some credibility to keeping track clean.

What organization would that be?

gunrunnerjohn posted:

bigdodgetrain posted:

I would believe that an organization that runs trains 6 days a week an average of 6 hours a day would hold some credibility to keeping track clean.

What organization would that be?

the san diego 3 railers.

been cleaning track on the current  layout for 14 years.

cleaning block, a cloth like sham wow, goo-gone and denatured alcohol.

dirty pad

clean pad

.

I use Acetone with a white cotton rag and it does a great job in a short time,used to use Scotch Brite and it took a long time.Be sure your work area id well ventilated.

Mikey

We got our track cleaners from the San Diego 3 Railers. We've used 70% and 91% isopropyl alcohol, denatured alcohol, laquer thinner, and acetone. They all worked just fine. The Ross switches do need some detail work on occasion with a Bright Boy or very fine grit sand paper.

We did experiment with several different types of pads with it, but the Sham Wow works the best. We have 2 of them, so we can run a wet one in the front and a dry one behind it, but not really needed. Just run the cleaner a few laps and run trains.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

TrainLarry posted:

 You get rust on the track after using alcohol because alcohol absorbs moisture out of the air. The alcohol evaporates, but leaves the moisture behind, which then proceeds to rust your equipment.

I've never gotten rust with alcohol, that maybe in theory, but not in practice.

We got rust with every liquid we used with our track cleaner on Gargraves track after the fact. The trick we learned was clean the track, and then run trains for awhile. No rust! If we cleaned the track and then walked away, we got rust every single time.

When they run at the San Diego 3 Railers, they clean the track every morning with denatured alcohol and then run trains all day. It is Atlas track and it does stay cleaner longer than Gargraves for sure.  

The PandP out of Scottsdale has atlas track and runs cleaning cars with Masonite often but not as often as we should. Track cleaning parties are held quarterly. We did have an issue using the track cleaning cars from San Diego 3 railers using denatured alcohol. A rough joint sparked and caused a small fire under a mountain so we made the Masonite cars and also run hand held  mop-like handled cleaning rags to reach where the arm can't reach. 

We run and are open to the public 363 days a year and find issues now and then with Track power and DCS signals if forget to clean track. 

I clean the track, and then use a Marx engine on it.  Marx engines use sliders instead of rollers on the third rail.  If the engines runs without sparking on the third rail, you are good to go.  I think some entry level post war Lionels also had sliders.

My solution for rust for what it is worth:

I have about 400 ft of Gargraves track, rust has never been an issue. If I recall rust comes from water, maybe some cleaners cause rust, I wouldn't think so. I think we need to check the environment, basements can be damp. My layout is in the basement, which is heated in the winter and cooled in the summer by the central heating and air conditioning system. I supplement the HVAC system with a Dehumidifier in the summer to keep the humidity at about 40 to 45% RHwhich works fine. In the winter the hot air heated basement keeps it dry enough. Bottom line no rust.

Of all the cleaners mentioned in the thread Acetone is terrible and danger es unless you have a super exhaust system, if you can smell it you don't. ( it does really clean great and so would gasoline ) There are plenty of other cleaners. I know our girls use it and so does the fingernail painting business, Heating and Cooling manufactures knock a 20yr equipment warrentee down to 1 year in those environments, if I recall.

I have been using rubbing alcohol and paper towels for years to clean my O gauge track and never had any problem with rust, just make sure to follow up with a cloth.

I have read that somebody used Simple Green to clean his Lionel Fastrack and it ate up the rails. So I would not use anything to clean the track on my layout without testing the cleaner on a separate section of track and wait 5 or 6 days to see what might happen.

Lee Fritz

I have used isoprobyl alcohol 91% on fasttrack for years with no problems and no rust either.

I'm with GRJ and Choo Choo Bob on using alcohol.  I've been using 99% isopropyl alcohol on the track and engine wheels.

Larry

gunrunnerjohn posted:

TrainLarry posted:

 You get rust on the track after using alcohol because alcohol absorbs moisture out of the air. The alcohol evaporates, but leaves the moisture behind, which then proceeds to rust your equipment.

I've never gotten rust with alcohol, that maybe in theory, but not in practice.

John The subject is using it on the track. Not putting it in your stomach!!!!!!

I am with the Alcohol guys although I use Denatured alcohol.

I cut up old Blue Jeans into stripes a little wider than the track and keep a pile on hand. They work great for me, toss in trash when done. I have enough old Jeans to last for years, I do wear disposable gloves.