Wheel and track cleaning

[gronk the shunter]

The running on Over Hulton has know reached an all time low, with the hand of god descending every couple of seconds to give a shove to my recalcitrant locos.

Obviously some serious cleaning is overdue.

But whats the most effective way of cleaning track and wheels. I've tried track rubbers with limited success and white spirit but that leaves a residue that can't help matters.

I've heard of something called IPA but don't know what it is or where to find it. Any ideas?

[Killybegs]

The running on Over Hulton has know reached an all time low, with the hand of god descending every couple of seconds to give a shove to my recalcitrant locos.

Obviously some serious cleaning is overdue.

But whats the most effective way of cleaning track and wheels. I've tried track rubbers with limited success and white spirit but that leaves a residue that can't help matters.

I've heard of something called IPA but don't know what it is or where to find it. Any ideas?

 

Isopropyl alcohol. Some chemists will sell it to you, some won't.

[Allegheny1600]

Hi,

IsoPropanol Alcohol (IPA) or denatured alcohol or rubbing alcohol,

Not the easiest substance to buy - try your local friendly chemist first.

I actually got mine from Ebay!

2" square bit of 2"x1", wrap around a strip of J cloth, hold on top of the (open!) bottle, tip up to wet cloth, rub on track, change cloth a minute or two later due to the filith that comes off the track!

Incidently, what track rubber are you using?

Cheers,

John E.

[96701]

I bought a 1 litre tin from Maplins in Birmingham, off the shelf, no questions asked. It'll probably outlast me.

[Allegheny1600]

I bought a 1 litre tin from Maplins in Birmingham, off the shelf, no questions asked. It'll probably outlast me.

 

Cheers Phil,

Must try Maplins myself!

John E.

[Gwiwer]

I have heard frequent comments on this site and others to the effect that IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol, nothing to do with beer!) is hard to obtain in the UK. I can only guess there might be some restriction on its sale there as it is widely available in hardware stores here without question.

 

I use spray-bottles of the stuff. Not directly onto the rails (unless I'm trying to improve the conductivity on a really reluctant point blade) but onto a piece of old denim wrapped around a small block of scrap 2x1 wood. With that suitably moistened it is drawn across the rail surface in the same way as you would a track rubber but without leaving the residue. You rails will soon be sparkling again.

 

For cleaning the inside contact edge of the rails, which people tend to forget forms as much a part of the contact surface as the rail head, I spray the IPA onto an old piece of cotton shirt or similar fabric placed around a finger tip and carefully run that along the inside of the rail. It is guided by having the rail run between a finger tip and the inner surface of the nail.

 

If you are running DC you can also obtain significant improvements by using one of the ultrasonic track cleaning devices such as the Gaugemaster units but these cannot be used with DCC control as they rely on the same 16vAC as does your command and control.

 

I use a Peco wheel cleaning brush / scraper on loco wheels which, in tandem with regular rail cleaning, helps to keep things moving as they should. When you clean the loco wheels don't forget to check the pick-up wipers; they can accumulate oily fluff which prevents power transmission and which can usually be teased off very carefully with a probe or careful use of a scalpel blade.

[Coombe Barton]

Every tried a Garryflex Block? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garryson-Garryflex-Abrasive-Block-240grit/dp/B0001P08UG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=diy&qid=1270208012&sr=8-2

[petethemole]

I don't think there are restrictions on its sale generally, or Maplins wouldn't have it on open sale. There may be regulations about what you can by from chemist shops; acetone for example is also hard to buy over the counter. Maplins do a spray can as well, labelled as "switch cleaner" but the litre cans are much cheaper by volume and you get less waste.

Pete

[Gwiwer]

If IPA is not restricted for UK sale has anyone tried the hardware giants such as B&Q? I get mine from the local Bunnings hardware warehouse which would be the equivalent over here. I can understand the difficulty in obtaining acetone as it has become associated with activities for which it is not intended and which can cause some very antisocial effects.

[ECML180]

Methalated spirits on a cloth wors for me, and it worked wonders the first time I tried it(I was in a similar situation-now everything runs well!)

[Gwiwer]

Methylated spirits will do the job, possibly not quite as well as IPA, BUT BEWARE. The flash point is lower than for IPA and meths vapourises even faster. I consider the risk is substantially higher of causing an accidental ignition of liquid or vapour when using meths compared with IPA even though that also vapourises quickly.

 

In either case try to not breathe in the vapour and have the train room as well ventilated as you can when using them.

[gronk the shunter]

Thanks everyone, I'll get down to maplins and see if i can get some. And the loco pickups on a 25 I stripped done are completely fluffed up! I hadn't thought of that!

[Coombe Barton]

The purple in meths is aniline purple, and can leave deposits. Isopropanol evaporates and so leaves no deposit. You could use surgical spirit, but this can have heavier substances that do not evaporate as fast, or could be solvents such as MEK or acetone.

[Greengiant]

The running on Over Hulton has know reached an all time low, with the hand of god descending every couple of seconds to give a shove to my recalcitrant locos.

Obviously some serious cleaning is overdue.

But whats the most effective way of cleaning track and wheels. I've tried track rubbers with limited success and white spirit but that leaves a residue that can't help matters.

I've heard of something called IPA but don't know what it is or where to find it. Any ideas?

 

The easiest place to get IPA is Ebay.

[Coombe Barton]

This thread - http://www.rmweb.co...._0entry114281 - may highlight a problem with buying isopropanol on eBay. Maplins may be a more certain supply.

[Major Clanger]

Here we go again - please do not use meths as a track cleaner. The denaturing agent (i.e. to render it unfit for drinking) is often pyridine, which is not a nice thing to have wafting about a layout room/exhibition hall. In a laboratory, a fume cupboard must be used when handling it.

[Rammy]

I got mine from CPC

[10000]

The denaturing agent (i.e. to render it unfit for drinking) is often pyridine,

 

Here in the UK I have yet to come across Methylated Spirits that uses pyridine. Every bottle I have used either in work or have purchased for track cleaning has Methanol ( wood alcohol) at no more than 10%, - the stuff that turns you blind etc.

 

 

But if in doubt check the label

[Coombe Barton]

As I understand it pyridine is the basis of the purple dye, in addition to the 10% methanol.

[HLT 0109]

I use Goo Gone and find it effective. It also has a nice smell. I use it on a piece of terry towelling wrapped around an index finger or in a CMX machine - the latter being a rather expensive luxury but useful in tunnels. On occasion (eg when paint has been inadvertently left on the track) I have found only a track rubber would work (much kinder to the rail than a scredriver!). Mustn't forget to clean the loco wheels too.

[gronk the shunter]

Been down to maplins today and got IPA, used it immediately on a couple of locos and the results are extremely good. My old bachy 25 will now run over 4 sets of pointwork on speed step 1 (on a NCE power cab) without any stuttering at all. The hand of god no longer appears! and I haven't even cleaned the track yet!

 

I can thoroughly recommend IPA and the easiest place to buy it must be maplins not ebay.

 

Thanks for everyone's help, I'm happy with my trains again!!

[BR60103]

Gronk:

Clean the track! Best bet is to remove all the rolling stock, clean the track, and then clean the wheels on each piece before it goes back on. (May be tedious if you have hundreds of pieces). Make sure you clean non-pickup wheels as well; they often pick up more gunk than the collectors.

And metal wheels are not immune.

[Ron Ron Ron]

Ban or replace any plastic wheels.

Use a non-residue agent such as IPA.

Avoid abrasives on the track.

Track Rubbers are a big No No.

 

I can thoroughly recommend the CMX Clean Machine. OK it costs as much as some locos, but it more than pays for itself in the time saved and makes track cleaning less of a chore.

 

.

[beast66606]

Ban or replace any plastic wheels.

Use a non-residue agent such as IPA.

Avoid abrasives on the track.

Track Rubbers are a big No No.

 

I can thoroughly recommend the CMX Clean Machine. OK it costs as much as some locos, but it more than pays for itself in the time saved and makes track cleaning less of a chore.

 

.

 

Not all track rubbers though RRR - we use the EM gauge society SOFT ones, then hoover - gently - then the CMX takes its turn, we are looking to use RailRoad to automate this side of track cleaning.

 

We use lighter fuel for cleaning our loco wheels, pickups and for charging the CMX...

[Re6/6]

We would be lost without our Trix wheel cleaner. Does a perfect job on driven wheels. Available from here part number Trix 66602.Available for N, 00 and can be easily adapted for P4.