track cleaning

A RELATED QUESTION- NOT ABOUT CLEANERS OR DEVICES

I have a 8x10 Fasttrack layout in my basement.  I run DCS and Legacy and find that absolutely clean track is essential for smooth and responsive operations.  After extensive reading, I have settled on CRC (plastic safe) cleaner and use a disposable swiffer cloth / pad on a handle to reach all of my rails.  Works great and after a cleaning the cloths are filled with oxidized grime, my rails are shiny, and everything works well.  MY PROBLEM - I find that I need to repeat this process MONTHLY to keep my rails clean, regardless of how much I am running my engines.  After each cleaning (monthly) the cloths are filled with black grime.  MY QUESTION:

A) Is this normal, particularly for most of you reading this who probably have much larger layouts then me?

B) Is this a property of "cheap" Fasttrack, as opposed to Atlas or other brands of rail?

C) Should I call the EPA about the possibly hyper-oxidative air quality in my basement?  (It is an unfinished basement in a "pre-war" house but I keep the humidity below 45% without any other air refinement)

D) Am I just imagining all of this?

[I am thinking A or B are the most likely responses]

Thanks.

@DrTrainDad posted:

A RELATED QUESTION- NOT ABOUT CLEANERS OR DEVICES

I have a 8x10 Fasttrack layout in my basement.  I run DCS and Legacy and find that absolutely clean track is essential for smooth and responsive operations.  After extensive reading, I have settled on CRC (plastic safe) cleaner and use a disposable swiffer cloth / pad on a handle to reach all of my rails.  Works great and after a cleaning the cloths are filled with oxidized grime, my rails are shiny, and everything works well.  MY PROBLEM - I find that I need to repeat this process MONTHLY to keep my rails clean, regardless of how much I am running my engines.  After each cleaning (monthly) the cloths are filled with black grime.  MY QUESTION:

A) Is this normal, particularly for most of you reading this who probably have much larger layouts then me?

B) Is this a property of "cheap" Fasttrack, as opposed to Atlas or other brands of rail?

C) Should I call the EPA about the possibly hyper-oxidative air quality in my basement?  (It is an unfinished basement in a "pre-war" house but I keep the humidity below 45% without any other air refinement)

D) Am I just imagining all of this?

[I am thinking A or B are the most likely responses]

Thanks.

Dont over think it , the biggest problem in cleaning track , is scratching the surface with an abrasive (  causing sparking and micro pitting)    and applying deferent chemicals that unless designed to conduct electricity and not leave a residue, that can attract, grease oil and rubber (Rubber tires)      Just an observation, the track system you picked isn't known great electrical properties

@DrTrainDad posted:

A) Is this normal, particularly for most of you reading this who probably have much larger layouts then me?

B) Is this a property of "cheap" Fasttrack, as opposed to Atlas or other brands of rail?

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

Actually, I had Fastrack for years, and my latest layout was built with Ross/Gargraves.  I've found that I am cleaning much less often with Ross/Gargraves tinplate than with my Fastrack.  I don't find the Atlas solid track to be any less forgiving than my Ross/Gargraves as far as cleaning goes, we've used it for years on our modular club layout.

@DrTrainDad posted:

A) Is this normal, particularly for most of you reading this who probably have much larger layouts then me?

B) Is this a property of "cheap" Fasttrack, as opposed to Atlas or other brands of rail?

C) Should I call the EPA about the possibly hyper-oxidative air quality in my basement?  (It is an unfinished basement in a "pre-war" house but I keep the humidity below 45% without any other air refinement)

D) Am I just imagining all of this?

[I am thinking A or B are the most likely responses]

Thanks.

A) Not sure if it's normal

B) Sort of. Whatever FasTrack is specifically made of might just be more prone to oxidation. A Nickel based metal will oxidize less than an iron based metal.

C) Nah. But you'll want to avoid sources of ignition

D) Probably not.

Pick yourself up some No-Ox. It's pretty shocking how much it has helped my track. It's especially shocking given how little I used. I clean the track with some solvent (Goof Off lately). Then I spread the No-Ox on the rails tops with my finger. Then I wipe it off the outside rails. So far it hasn't harmed my traction tires and I clean track a lot less often.

Helpful hint: use as little as possible. I used too much at first.

@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

@BillYo414 posted:

A) Not sure if it's normal

B) Sort of. Whatever FasTrack is specifically made of might just be more prone to oxidation. A Nickel based metal will oxidize less than an iron based metal.

C) Nah. But you'll want to avoid sources of ignition

D) Probably not.

Pick yourself up some No-Ox. It's pretty shocking how much it has helped my track. It's especially shocking given how little I used. I clean the track with some solvent (Goof Off lately). Then I spread the No-Ox on the rails tops with my finger. Then I wipe it off the outside rails. So far it hasn't harmed my traction tires and I clean track a lot less often.

Helpful hint: use as little as possible. I used too much at first.

No-Ox can work wonders BUT if you are not is a clean environment (like most model railroads), I have read you should not use it.  If you are running plastic wheels you will have of the black crud buildup on the rails.  Which CRC are you using?  Go back and check the dielectric chart to learn if your CRC is polar or non-polar.  Any polar cleaner/solvent will have you cleaning more often (ask me how I know).

I have found you can clean pretty much with any solvent you like as long as you go back and clean with mineral spirits.  Then a little graphite and you will be all set.

Have you read through the two links I provided earlier in this thread?  It will all become very clear if you do.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

@Tom Stoltz posted:

I have found you can clean pretty much with any solvent you like as long as you go back and clean with mineral spirits.  Then a little graphite and you will be all set.

The graphite is probably awesome! I never thought to use that.

I thought the No-Ox would attract lint and cat hair but so far it's been ok. I think it's because there is so little on the rails. Nonetheless, I graphite would be very interesting to experiment with. How do you put it on the rails? @Tom Stoltz

Been using NO-Ox. I have been happy with it. I don't understand the whole "track will never need cleaned again claim". My track needs cleaned still. I will say that my trains run more reliably. Maybe it's because I clean them regularly now or maybe its the No-OX. Who knows. My small layout is MTH RealTrax. Had a lot of issues prior to using the NO-Ox and cleaning more often. My new addition is Gargraves/Ross Custom Switches. I definitely find that my phantom/stainless gargraves rails stay cleaner. My 2 pennies.