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Here's something you can do with one of those Allis-Chalmer frames without the load that nearly everybody has knocking about the collection or that you have sadly passed by at the train show...  

Thanks to @trainroomgary for the original inspiration!    

As you can see, a stock Magic Eraser fits just fine under the car...

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The trick, of course,  is to hold it in place while cleaning.   Despite their name,  Mercedes 600 Pullmans didn't really do the job... 

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The answer lies in an obscure bit of floral technology called the "Flower Frog".  Why it's called that,  I dunno... 

This particular one came from eBay.  

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Popsicle sticks (sold in a bag as 'craft sticks' if you're not allowed sweets) make excellent cross supports.   Here, I've laminated three together with wood glue and am cementing the cross brace into place with JB Weld... 

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The finished assembly.  A tad off center,  but,  then,  so am I.   

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Marked for drilling. 

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And assembled with 4-40 screws. 

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An eraser installed and ready to test! 

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Alcohol soaked wet test run with the Wabash Cannonball! 

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Even though this track was cleaned a few days ago,  we're still picking up a fair amount of crud! 

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Test 2 with some D cell battery ballast... 

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Got even more schmutz! 

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Atsa shiny track,  eh, boss?  

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We conclude with some test footage of the Allis-Chalmers Track Cleaner in action... 

Hope this helps!  If you build one,  let me know how it works for you! 

Mitch 

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Another winner Mitch. I was tinkering with a older flat car with a pipe load recently. Gotta get it back out. My track is really dirty.

2017-03-21 21.06.32

This is the car. The drop skirts hold a magic eraser or scotch-brite pad quite well. It has three 1/2" pieces of steel pipe that have a decent weight to them.

Boba-fet and Han Solo are optional

Bob

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  • 2017-03-21 21.06.32
coach joe posted:

Well done Mitch.  I just don't think I've seen a Magic Eraser that thick before.  

That's the size I'm used to:  1" x 2" x 4".  Generic, of course;  the actual Mr. Clean erasers may be a bit thinner, especially the heavy-duty models. 

Mark Boyce posted:

Excellent job, Mitch!  I have the Magic Eraser, now I need a car to put it under.  Hmmmm.......

The A-C frame was used for other specialty cars such as the Missile Launcher, so you might be able to find it in other liveries as well. 

RSJB18 posted:

This is the car. The drop skirts hold a magic eraser or scotch-brite pad quite well. It has three 1/2" pieces of steel pipe that have a decent weight to them.

That should work as well!  

Boba-fet and Han Solo are optional

Mitch 

Matt_Goodman posted:

Can you explain the alcohol soaking method (how you did it and why it's necessary)? Thanks!

1) Turn car over  2) Pour alcohol on Magic eraser 3) Off you go!  

As for why, the alcohol acts as a solvent and helps clean off the cruft.   

Mike H Mottler posted:

I paid $100 for a track cleaning car with two angled foam rollers on board.  It works, but no better than this "Rube Goldberg" cheap but effective MAGIC ERASER track cleaning car. It's a great example of clever ingenuity at a fraction of that price!

QUICK - patent it, start a cottage industry, and offer it for sale via e-Bay!

I'll make a million!   

Mitch 

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