250BOB Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Hi Guys, Having tried several track claning tools, including the Dapol unit introduced a year or two ago. I'm still looking for something better. This item is over £90, and is quite expensive.......but is it worth that sort of money....does it do the job better than other items.?? Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted July 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2012 I've got one. I can't easily clean some of the track on my ON30 layout (trains leave the workshop area of the garage and reappear 6 feet away). I use Goo Gone in mine which seems to clear the dirt and leave the layout smelling of oranges. I believe other people use different cleaning fluids. I dropped mine once and the bogie shattered but the replacement was easily available. I bought it a few years ago and they were a bit cheaper then (dollar exchange rate perhaps?). Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Nile Posted July 14, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2012 I've got the N gauge version.I see it as complementary to the Dapol/Tomix cleaner, which is good at removing dust from the tracks.The CMX is better at actually cleaning the tracks.Don't leave it standing in one spot for long or the cleaning fluid will soak into the ballast/scenery. Recommended, if you can afford it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 I would spend any available money on eliminating the dirt sources; prevention is always better than cure. All metal wheels, no traction tyres, careful - mostly grease - lubrication, use DCC (experience tells me it way outperforms DC in respect of rail head dirt accumulation, don't know why), for a start. My track cleaner is a weighted hardboard drag, essentially made for free which takes care of all the through running lines. Sidings are done by hand with a small piece of hardboard. Got the idea of the hardboard drag from Pendon, and if it is good enough for Pendon... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLT 0109 Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Bob, I have had mine for about three years and I too use it with Goo Gone. 34C is right that prevention is better than cure but I don't think it is possible to prevent the build up of a deposit on the rails altogether and if, like me, you have parts of the layout that are difficult to access, then the CMX is very good. Because it is all brass, it is heavy which means the rails get a good rub but it also means it needs quite a powerful loco to pull it. At one stage I thought mine was depositing more dirt than it was removing but cleaning the pad made a vast improvement! The machine comes with spare corduroy for the pad but I found that washing mine in water cleaned it and I am still using the first piece of pad. Something else I like is that it is unnecessary to empty the machine between cleaning activities - closing the two caps creates an effective seal and there is no leakage. Harold. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted July 15, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 15, 2012 I've got a OO one converted to HOm by swapping the bogies over to clean under the wires which makes it invaluable in preventing damage too. They are very effective, 5 mins circling the layout at the start of each day of a show and no more track cleaning required all day in conditions that attract excess dirt. I prefer it to the Dapol one as it doesn't abrade the rails so they need cleaning less often than the OO where I use the Dapol one. The Dapol one does however win outside on my fathers OO garden line where the mechanical scrubbing helps remove the residue of birds etc! They are quality items that are easy to use and very robust but they are heavy and need a powerful loco to drag them round. The spring clips make changing the pads easy, and as said above they are easy to wash and re-use so I still have most of the supplied padding unused as I swap two cut lengths around between washes. The cylinder also makes it very easy to see how the drip feed is doing to make sure you get the flow right, I use the alocohol cleaner which you don't want to overdo, and usually stop and check the flow after it's settled down over the first circuit. For an indoor layout it would be my first choice as it's equivalent to a decent loco in cost and saves a lot of effort compared to manual cleaning with less risk to trackside detail. If you have overhead I'd say it's a necessity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted July 15, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 15, 2012 Bob, To answer your questions. You've found it, yes and yes. We use lighter fuel as the cleaning fluid. cheers, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Garry D100 Posted July 15, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 15, 2012 I always wonder if pad cleaners like this catch on point blades etc. Does this happen when using one of these? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted July 15, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 15, 2012 I always wonder if pad cleaners like this catch on point blades etc. Does this happen when using one of these? Nope and mine runs over Peco and handbuilt points with no issues. I have noticed the Dapol rotary cleaner can lob itself off on PECO diamond crossings though if running at high revs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Garry D100 Posted July 15, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 15, 2012 Thanks Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 Thankyou all for your replies........it does sound like a good investment judging from your replies. Particularly like the lighter fuel as the cleaning agent Dave..!!! Thats what I have used for some time but just on a bit of clean cloth. It certainly does the job amazingly well...with a little care of course. Thanks.......................Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stmartins Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Thankyou all for your replies........it does sound like a good investment judging from your replies. Particularly like the lighter fuel as the cleaning agent Dave..!!! Thats what I have used for some time but just on a bit of clean cloth. It certainly does the job amazingly well...with a little care of course. Thanks.......................Bob Hi did you ever get you TMX cleaner? Sadly I am selling all my layout and I have one and the replacement felts if you are still keen Regards Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted April 19, 2013 Author Share Posted April 19, 2013 Hi did you ever get you TMX cleaner? Sadly I am selling all my layout and I have one and the replacement felts if you are still keen Regards Tony Thanks for thinking of me Tony......we'll continue by PM. Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted May 18, 2013 Author Share Posted May 18, 2013 Finally got my CMX TRACK CLEANER. Stmartins on this thread has sold me his, as is he having stop modelling. It is quite unbelievable.!!!!!! The most efficient cleaner I have ever witnessed. Beats everything else I have seen, hands down. Stunning.!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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