How do you keep your displayed trains dust free?

You cant same as a layout. I clean my shelves  once a year. Take the trains off clean them one at a time. Takes forever. Same as the layout  clear it off dirt everything and put it back. 

I hit my stuff on shelves once a month with a feather duster. Does almost no good. Don't really care. Really, you (and by "you", I mean "I") shouldn't have any more stuff than will fit on your layout, plus 25% shelf overflow.

Embrace the dust, become one with the dust, and may the dust be with you.

"Cleaning" a scenicked layout is kind of like going out and "cleaning" the front yard. The shiny toy layouts may be different; don't know.

All of my backup engines and cars are in cabinets with doors, one with a plexiglass door for display, so dust is not much of a problem for those items.  These items are rotated to the layout on a regular basis.  I also use several of the engine size display cases.

For my 8ft. X 16ft. layout,  and with 2 cats and three litter boxes, I didn't have a choice but to keep the layout covered.  Whoever came up with the idea that litter is 99% dust free was out of their tree.  What I did was to attach 4 sheets of heavy plastic a little larger than 4ft. X 8ft. to the sides of the table.  I attached 1" x 1", eight foot long trim pieces to the other side of the plastic.  I have removable support blocks on the table and simply swing the plastic over the table to uncover or cover it.  Takes only seconds and works great.  The cats are gone now, but I still use the covers.  Even with the covers, I still need to dust items once or twice a year, as the litter dust will probably remain in the basement forever.  Slime works excellent for getting dust off of detailed items.

Chris - I use 2 items: a makeup brush which I purchased from Mr.Muffin or a can of compressed gas (the type you can buy at Walmart, etc).

-Greg

1. Take engine off shelf and dust

2. put engine in box.

3. put engine and box on shelf, Window side out

Take an empty propane gas carboy to your local auto repair facility and fill it with 90 PSI air.  Use a hose with a nozzle to blow off the dust.  John

Nice display and love the answers, cats to embrace the dust! I am on a different scale and vote with greg, a soft bristle painters brush and compressed air. With your shelves that is probably still a pain.

one more idea, similar to the veggie mister at the grocery, run a compressed air line under each shelf and blow air down on a periodic basis.

I'm with D500.  A feather duster once a month.  Don't overdo it.

Mine get dusty.

This is a  OPOLAR Cordless Air Duster for Computer Cleaning, Replaces Compressed Spray Gas Cans, Rechargeable 6000mAH Battery, Powerful 33000 RPM, 10W Fast Charging, .   And a makeup brush 

Greg Houser posted:

Chris - I use 2 items: a makeup brush which I purchased from Mr.Muffin or a can of compressed gas (the type you can buy at Walmart, etc).

-Greg

Mr. Muffin does look better with makeup on, and has many of his personal favorites for sale. Seriously, I have found  that compressed air in cans does not get the dust off except for maybe some of the top layer. Something as soft as a makeup brush doesn't get it all off, either, unless it's only a light layer of recent dust.

For a complete job, I've found it's necessary to use soap and water and something like a very soft toothbrush. Besides the cleaning function, the soap and water also serves as a lubricant so there's no minute scratching of the paint by the brush. Then dry with a soft cloth. That's just my experience. It depends on how clean you want your trains - a soft brush alone may be adequate for your needs. You'd have to do it pretty often to keep the dust from building up too much, though, if that's all you use. Same with a feather duster. That's probably reasonable if it's done often, like at least monthly, as POTRZBE mentioned. 

I have plexiglass sliding panels covering my (wood) shelves. Something like that is really the only way I know to keep the trains dust-free.

Bluelinec4, Why do they range from $49. $169. NEW on ebay?

rattler21 posted:

Take an empty propane gas carboy to your local auto repair facility and fill it with 90 PSI air.  Use a hose with a nozzle to blow off the dust...

...and redistribute it to other parts of the layout! 

eddie g posted:

Bluelinec4, Why do they range from $49. $169. NEW on ebay?

They are all the same  I paid 40.00 for mine  It works great

My wife once mentioned that my trains needed dusting and I told her that it is weathering and that a lot of people pay lots of money to have that done for them. She laughed and left the room, although she has not mentioned about dusting the trains anymore.

I use "ANBOO" Mini Micro Tool Attachments. Along with air in a can, with a soft brush.

Gary

Feather duster, or a Swifter duster, both do a great job. 

I keep my trains on shelving, most cars and a engines (60) are on the shelf of wrapped in cotton washcloths, keeps them dust free and no finger prints. 

 The shelves are covered with sheets to help keep the dust out, in an unfinished basement.

Real efficient,  inexpensive,  I've  been doing this for over 25 years and its easy and works. 

I don't keep many trains on the layout,  change them about once a week.

No way to keep them dust free. I used a Swiffer duster once every couple of weeks to do a quick general cleaning. Then, once a year everything was removed thoroughly cleaned and put back in place. 

All of my trains that are on display, and not on the layout or in boxes, are in glass or Plexiglass display cases; some free-standing and some hanging on the train room lounge walls. Could definitely use more wall space, but that's a problem for another day.