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Some advice would be welcome on the matter of track cleaning.

On Cwm Prysor, I've been using Deluxe Models track cleaning fluid. This seems an expensive method of doing things. Would I be better buying something like IPA?

 

Cheers in advance!

Edited by 9793
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IPA serves me well, wet the reverse side of a small piece of hardboard and rub along the rails. Also good for cleaning wheel backs/pick-up wipers.

 

Bill.

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6 minutes ago, Regularity said:

As long as IPA is isopropyl alcohol, and not Imperial Pale Ale...

 

As somebody who doesn't drink, the latter wont be a problem! :)

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Most IPA (beer) version doesn’t qualify as a “drink” IMO, and neither does it serve any use as a track cleaner, having so little alcohol in it.

on the other hand, I do recall many years ago a friend who used high strength vodka to clean his track...

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I presume it doesn't matter on the brand of IPA, as long as it's just IPA (just looking on Amazon.....easiest option where I live).

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43 minutes ago, 9793 said:

I presume it doesn't matter on the brand of IPA, as long as it's just IPA (just looking on Amazon.....easiest option where I live).

Beer, or alcohol?

If the latter, no: it is a fairly simple chemical, also useful for removing paint but be careful of using the 99% stuff on plastics.

If the former, they all (IMO) taste like ****!

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On 06/04/2019 at 08:53, Regularity said:

These wagons have no “top plank” as was found on most wagons dedicated to coal traffic (and the 16T minerals had a strengthening piece above the side door if they had a top flat, and a solid side above it if not).

Shovelling coal upwards into the bunker is a lot easier with a “standard” open wagon as there is no top plank in the way of getting a good swing, allowing the coal to be thrown from the spade into the bunker: it would not take long to get the hang of this - and it requires less precision than putting coal into the firebox.

Coal wagons are fine where loco coal is delivered to a stage, bunker or similar.

 

On 06/04/2019 at 17:18, Captain Kernow said:

And here's another concept you're going to have to run by me one more time, please Simon.

 

I'd rather lick the goalies, but I've been watching ladies' football over the part this avo...

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Marstons Old Empire at 5.7% is a very drinkable IPA and goes very well with a good curry. 

 

Does not go well when modelling therefore the two activities are best kept apart. 

 

Rob. 

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2 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Marstons Old Empire at 5.7% is a very drinkable IPA and goes very well with a good curry. 

 

Does not go well when modelling therefore the two activities are best kept apart. 

 

Rob. 

 

Any good IPA is best not mixed with hardcore model railway modelling!

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

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Those wagons look really good Tom. If I was being extremely picky, I'd say you might want to straighten the bottom link on the ABS 6-plank☺

Edited by Tim Lewis
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2 hours ago, Tim Lewis said:

Those wagons look really good Tom. If I was being extremely picky, I'd say you might want to straighten the bottom link on the ABS 6-plank☺

 

Yes, I had noticed after taking the photo. Reason being just before hand the wagon had plummeted to the floor, landed on the carpet....but had bent the buffer heads, so I'd spent the next 10 minutes bending them back into shape. I suspect the bent link happened at the same time...... it had now been remedied.

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I'd heard that India Pale Ale happened by accident when some barrels were shipped out to the Raj and mistakenly failed to get unloaded. They came back to Britain got opened and found to be very drinkable having matured in the casks. I have no idea however if that is just another myth.

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I think that's a myth.  I was told as a youth starting my drinking career that the beer was bottled having not matured, in the knowledge that it would take a certain amount of time, about 4 months, to deliver to the troops in India who were it's intended customers.  The stuff then matured in the bottle 'in transit' to be fresh and ready for consumption when it was delivered, and a brewing process that did not give off excess gas in the maturation period and explode the bottles was required.

 

This of course made it very suitable for storage before selling on the home market, and it was thus very popular here as well.  i currently regularly drink Brain's IPA in my local pub, but this is a more or less bog standard keg bitter from a tap, and not a bottled beer at all; it is thus, IMHO, not a true IPA.  I don't care, and rather like it!

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I understood IPAs were brewed with a high hop content so the bitterness (from the hops) counteracted any flavour issues arising during transit to India and therefore its the hop content that makes a beer an IPA.

Anyhow, back to railway modelling: really love the weathering of these wagons. I dug some of mine out the other day: they look **** :(

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If weathered wagons look **** isn't that a good thing? :P
 

My mate brews his own beer and he assures me hop content is not linked to whether its an IPA or not. Now whether IPAs originally had a lot of hops I do not know but today's don't!

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:offtopic:IPA was originally brewed to have a high hop content and reasonably high alcohol content. The hops are a preservative, as well as a flavouring agent, and the high (5+%) alcohol meant that the beer would survive the trip.

 

There apparently, was a lucrative trade in 'Double IPA', which, for whatever reason, had not been unloaded in India, and had made the return journey to London.  With a 4 + month journey time for delivery and the losses of ships in transit, more than was needed was shipped. Excess was returned.

 

Regards

 

Ian

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8 hours ago, 9793 said:

A little non modelling news.

 

As some of you may know, I'm really focusing on losing weight. Since a year ago, I've lost a total of over 3 stone! Even better my blood sugar results came back today. They are at non diabetic levels and that's been without taking the diabetic medication, with diet alone!

So feeling rather good today!

Splendid stuff, Tom. Again through changing a few habits and eating healthier, I seem to have lost two stone and feel a lot better for it.

 

Keep it up! 

 

BTW. All this talk of beer ( to which I have contributed) is perhaps better suited to a more appropriate thread. I think we have successfully debated IPA and can now move on. There's always the 'currently drinking ' thread for further debate. 

 

 

Any more of your excellent weathering on offer? 

 

 

 

Rob. 

 

 

 

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Hi Tom,

 

Congratulations on the healthy report. I had a similar result last year and felt tons better for it!

 

Returning to the pre-IPA conversation for a minute, I've always used lighter fuel, applied with a cotton rag, for cleaning both track and rolling stock wheels. It comes in a small can for about £1.50 and lasts a long time. The trick these days is to find a convenient supplier, as the days of the corner shop tobacconist are gone!

 

I also make a point of cleaning wagon wheels once in a while. Two reasons for this. Firstly they can spread the dirt around the layout, making track cleaning even more necessary. Secondly, the build up of a thick layer of 'crud' over time has an impact on running quality, especially in p4 or p87.

 

Regards,

 

Geraint

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On 08/04/2019 at 23:20, 9793 said:

Some advice would be welcome on the matter of track cleaning.

On Cwm Prysor, I've been using Deluxe Models track cleaning fluid. This seems an expensive method of doing things. Would I be better buying something like IPA?

 

I note the various suggestions regarding IPA or lighter fluid, but I personally don't take any prisoners when it comes to track cleaning and I use a small, square block of wood about 25mm x 25mm, with a glued-on handle (on the top of the piece of wood) at 45 degrees. Around each of the four side corners of the block of wood there are small grooves cut in.

 

I then cut a small square of old cotton handkerchief, about 50% larger than the area of the small wooden block, which is then held in place with a small rubber band.

 

I then take of of my small, glass airbrush jars, which contains cellulose thinners, remove the top and hold the block of wood, with cotton in place, securely on the top of the glass jar. I then momentarily upend the glass jar, allowing the cotton to become instantly wetted with cellulose thinners.

 

I then clean the top of the rail heads with the cellulose thinners on the wooden block. Where I have painted rust on the tops of wing rails etc., I normally use a cotton bud, soaked in cellulose thinners, to clean the running rails.

 

I would also completely endorse the need to occasionally clean the wheels of locos and rolling stock, for which I also use cellulose thinners.

 

 

Edited by Captain Kernow
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At the risk of being mildly censured for OT activity again, I endorse the good Captain's remarks about cleaning.  I find Hornby locos need it more frequently than Bachmanns, and it is not a major part of my routine.  I'd say once about every 2 months for Hornbys, 4 for Baccys.  My layout is in almost daily use which means it keeps itself clean to some extent.  My locos get a strip down and deep clean, along with new lube, about once every 8 or 9 months when I feel they need it, but there's no formal schedule.

 

My running is pretty reliable.  Cotton wool buds soaked in switch cleaner for wheels and pickups, piece of hardboard soaked in switch cleaner for track; any build up of carbon is removed with Peco track rubber or fibre pen; pay attention to turnout blade closure points.  I use insulfrogs and switch current with them in the interests of wiring simplicity, so have to ensure electrical continuity here.  Insulfrog turnouts laid level and carefully should not cause stalling, and mine don't.

 

I have a powered wheel cleaner, but I'm not that impressed as you still have to clean the pickups by hand so it doesn't save any work.

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On 10/04/2019 at 05:49, NHY 581 said:

Any more of your excellent weathering on offer? 

 

 

 

Rob. 

 

 

 

 

Cheers Rob

 

No weathering as such, I’m just messing around with this Bachmann PO and looking to turn it into a Ex LMS version.

 

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