Keeping Tracks Clean for Smooth train operation

Track Cleaning

	PROJECTS
	MISC PROJ
	CLEAN TRACK

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Most will agree from the start

The best way to have the smooth operation of a model railroad

Is to run trains

Constant operation

Will provide a rubbing action

Which keeps the railhead polished

And therefore provide good contact

between the tracks and the wheels of a locomotive

Indeed, many constantly running store displays have no problems

Nor the mainline of many club layouts

In an idealistic world, tracks should never require cleaning

Things happen, however, in the real world.

Scenery projects requiring plaster can instantly destroy any operation at all.

Long times between running trains

or a harsh environment can also conspire to rust, corrode and degrade both tracks and wheels thereby destroying the critical contact

further, attempting to operate over dirty track combined with modern transistor or DCC circuitry can further accelerate this destruction and actually cause physical harm to both wheels and rails

So, what can be done?

Here are some of the tools used on the North River First is a caddy to carry around track cleaning tools

Please Understand

No one method for track cleaning is best for all situations

It is an intuitive art

Using an abrasive block on perfectly clean track can do more harm than good

While trying to clean extremely dirty track with only a track cleaning car

Can allow a bad poor operation to further disintegrate

Variation in environment, scenic materials used in railroad, recent construction-related activities

All conspire to ruin smooth operation in several ways

I can only throw out several suggestions as to what can be done

Leave it to you, the reader to experiment

See what works best for you and your particular situation.

Sandpaper was once used for track cleaning back in the stone age when Model Railroading was in its infancy. This might have had its use when the O-Scale tracks were heavier and there was no other product available but it is obsolete today, especially I the smaller scales. Likewise, do not use files. The only time a file should be used is after soldering or some other process as tracks are laid and there may be a build-up of unwanted material on the railhead. So not use files for cleaning.

Track cleaners after 20-30 years of use

Use of an abrasive track cleaner should be done sparingly

I use it mostly where I have painted the rails or done scenery which covers the rails

Over enthusiastic or repeated use of abrasives can eventually wear down the railhead.

Also, always use extreme caution around switches

And work from the frog toward the points to damaging delicate points

another consideration is the using an abrasive on the railheads tends to flatten the rail head

while the wheel treads are tapered.

This means the wheel tends to make contact

between the sharp inside corner of railhead

and radius between the tread and flange of the wheel

not squarely on the tread as designed.

Yet another consideration is the rail used to begin with.

I have seen cheap track where the railhead is actually cupped and prone to collect dirt.

Only slightly better is track where the cross-section of rails are completely flat on top with sharp corners

The cross-section of a rail should have radius at the edges

First is the old stand-by, the abrasive track cleaner

This is usually a composite block

Consisting of a rubber-like base

Embedded with bits of brass or some metallic fibers

It is these bits of metal

that can scrape paint, glue, oxidation, corrosion

Or other non-conductive debris from the surface of the rail

Take a look at your cleaner and if it does not have these bits of metal

Consider using something else as cleaning will be a lot harder

A 1” x 1” x 6” block of balsa to be extremely useful for track cleaning

I use it when trains have been idle for an extensive period

And before any trains are run

Fibrous cellulite structure abrasive Polishes, not scratches like abrasives

Porosity holds cleaning solutions or absorbs wet films left by cleaning solutions

Less likely to damage delicate Trackwork like points of turnouts

Easy to clean

Quick pass over sandpaper or even a cement floor cleans block

The main disadvantage of using balsa alone is that it will not remove Paint, corrosion, Pitting in rails or dirt trapped in microscopic scratches

Or imperfections in railhead.

Using both balsa and cleaning solutions is the best approach for general cleaning

Cleaning solutions can help

They are only way to draw dirt out from imperfections in rail head

And especially from wheels of an engine

These, when new, are usually smooth and polished

In time can be scratched by abrasive cleaners

Or pitted due to arcing when an engine runs over a dirty piece of track

Such arcs burn tiny holes in both wheels and railhead that over time can collect dirt

The argument FOR using cleaning solutions

Is to draw out this dirt and/or leave a slightly conductive coating on rails to improve contact.

This can dramatically improve operation

The argument AGAINST using cleaning solutions

Is that the film left behind can attract dirt and dust and actually degrade the very electrical contact

They are designed to improve

another aspect is that this dirt can collect on wheels to the point of lifting the tread far enough

that the flange rides up on frogs or other parts of a switch and cause derailments

this must be checked and cleaned periodically if the rails are left “wet”

I use a citronella scented outdoor lamp oil (the main ingredient is kerosene) because it is cheap, I happen to have some lying around, and it is a form that is convenient to store. Actually, almost any kerosene product including paint thinner could be used

Some track cleaning solutions contain mostly coal oil

And is designed to be used with track cleaning cars.

A small reservoir is filled and the solution is allowed to drip on a cleaning pad

This does a good jog and dissolves dirt and grease and leaves a film on the tracks The trouble is that this type of cleaner is often non-conductive should be removed after use

The Film will tend to collect dust

Kerosene and soap (my favorite and most used method)

Literally washes rail AND wheels

Soap chemically reacts with grease and dirt

Kerosene lifts dirt particles from rails

Dissolves dirt caked on to wheels

Method 1

Soak (1) side of balsa with kerosene and scrub top of rails

Rub a bar of regular hand soap for ½ inch every foot or so along yard track

Run train back and forth across section (note, rails should turn black with dirt

Dry rail with 2^nd side of balsa and run train across section of track

Repeat until train no longer blackens rails

Run train to and from another part of railroad

Dirt will tend to be drawn from tracks and collect on wheels of train

Repeat above until train runs smoothly

Mehod 2

Use small brush

Paint soap bar with keosine

Paint rails

Run train until rails turn black

Wipe dry with balsa

Use a contact cleaner

Several cleaners specific to model railroad and otherwise

All promote electrical contact

Leave film

Can be used instead of or in conjuction with kerosine

Unlike kerosene, Use VERY sparingly

Paint only an inch or two of rails with contact cleaner

Run train back and forth across painted area

Run to another part of the railroad and back

The idea here is to create a thin film of cleaner to the mainline

Thick enough to increase the contact between the wheels and railhead

An alternate way is to paint an inch of rail every five feet or so

Before an operationg session or on a specific trouble spot

But not so thick as to attract dust

This is both a lubricant and electrically conductive coating

These are dirivitives of radio products and are meant to leave a conductive film for the specific purpose of improving electrical contact

This is an environmentally friendly way to remove grease and films left by other cleaning products

I have always looked a track cleaning cars more as preventative maintenance

To use, track must be clean enough to run engine

One of my earliest was the Ulrich cleaner

Small tank dripped on pad

Next was a cow/calf unit

Cow was simply about three pounds of lead on four tracks feeding power to engine

Idea was to force contact against rails so train could be run

Yes, another little nugget

Wire a .47 mfd cap and 150 ohm resisters in series across brushes of the motor of ALL engines to reduce arcing

Especially when using DCC or conventional transistor throttles

A car to press a bright-boy abrader against rails. This was not a success

But there are many examples of a spring-loaded piece of Masonite (rough side against the rails) These will do much to keep most of the mainline clean

But there will always be areas that are missed

Centerline came up with an effective cleaner

A heavy roller is pushed along tracks in a frame

Rolling action reduces risk of damage to delicate switch points

Gravity insures it will reach all spots

Interchangeable pads make it easy to clean pads

Only down side is that there IS friction that makes it hard to push in a train

One or two cars fine, long trains, no.

See what can be done with this basic chases and more details at:

http://www.northriverrailway.net/CleaningCars.htm

One of several models available

This flexible test track can work with a wide range of locomotives with different wheelbase length and wheel arrangments. It works equally well from deisels to stream engines. Note the coupler to keep the engine in place.