@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:It's not about "cheap". For instance nothing about Fastrak is cheap.
It is about construction, and even the most expensive track can require frequent cleaning. It's a bigger problem with traditional tubular track, Fastrack, Realtrak, Gargraves and Ross than with some others, like Atlas. The Atlas track for instance is nickel plated and so the track itself doesn't contribute as much to the dirt problem (although at one point I believe that Atlas also made track with rails made out of steel which do need to be cleaned more often).
It's also about the construction of the wheels rolling over it. No matter what kind of track steel wheels constantly wear as they roll along leaving dirt on the rails.
Once a month is a realistic number.
You do have an alternative. Convert all of your locomotives, lighted cars and operating cars to battery power with an appropriate radio control system (which is generally not TMCC/Legacy or DCS). Then the cleanliness of the track makes no difference because power is no longer being drawn through the rails.
Mike
Mike it not the steel wheels, go look at the real track. and Atlas is nickel with an oxidized copper center rail... But I so agree with you in converting to dead rail. On board power is the way to go
