# Track Dirt?



## 89Suburban (Jan 4, 2017)

I have not noticed this until a week ago. When I go to work on my tracks my hands got covered with gray dirt marks from the top of the rails. Like graphite grease or something. I could not believe how dirty my hands were and how hard they were to scrub clean. I removed ALL the trains, cleaned all their wheels. Cleaned all the rails on all tracks. A lot of gray colored dirt/dust came off. A week later it is like I never even did anything. Is this normal? I run the trains very night for about a half hour. Just shocked how dirty the wheels and rails get in such a short period of time. Is that part of playing with my trains too much? Is there such a thing?


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*track dirt*

Hi all,I run O gauge and that is not a problem for me.I have some plastic wheels that leave a black color but I need to clean the track about every 4 to six months. I run almost every day when I get time. I`ll change out the plastic someday,I don`t have too many,LOL.I really don`t have a answer for you. 

I`m sure someone will have more experence than me will help. We have a very knowledgeable group. Maybe grinding dust on your wheels or from your gears. The lubricant you use.


Hope you find the answer to the problem. Have a great weekend,Sanepilot


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Dirty track*



89Suburban said:


> I have not noticed this until a week ago. When I go to work on my tracks my hands got covered with gray dirt marks from the top of the rails. Like graphite grease or something. I could not believe how dirty my hands were and how hard they were to scrub clean. I removed ALL the trains, cleaned all their wheels. Cleaned all the rails on all tracks. A lot of gray colored dirt/dust came off. A week later it is like I never even did anything. Is this normal? I run the trains very night for about a half hour. Just shocked how dirty the wheels and rails get in such a short period of time. Is that part of playing with my trains too much? Is there such a thing?


89Suburban;

No, dirty track does not come from running trains too often. Actually frequent running can help keep the track cleaner. All track collects dust from the room, just like everything else in that room. If the rails have any oil on them, from oiling wheel bearings, or over oiling a locomotive, the oil attracts and retains dust. The best ways of fighting this are: 1) Putting a sheet plastic dust cover over the layout when it's not in use. You may want to construct some sort of frame around the layout to keep the dust cover from damaging things on your railroad. 2)Frequent track cleaning by hand. 3) Running a track cleaning car in your trains.4) Using a "conductivity helper" on the rails. Wahl hair clipper oil has been used, but since its an oil, I wonder if it does more harm than good. I prefer LPS-1. This is a grease-less silicone lubricant and protective coating, and it is electrically conductive. I use a "Brite-Boy" cleaning block to clean track. The block gets covered in black gunk from the rails pretty quickly. I spray a little LPS-1 on a rag, and some on the Bite-Boy. Rubbing the Brite-Boy with that rag cleans all the gunk off quickly and easily. This also leaves a bit of LPS-1 on/in the Brite-Boy. Using the Brite-Boy then leaves a super thin coating of LPS-1 on the rails. This helps trains run better and helps protect the rails a little bit from dirt.
There is no easy substitute for track cleaning. Often it must be done before each operating session. Many use alcohol for track cleaning. Its advantage is that alcohol dissolves oil, removes dirt, and then evaporates, leaving nothing behind. To me the last thing can be a disadvantage too. I prefer LPS-1 to alcohol, because it cleans oil and dirt off the rails and then does leave something behind. A protective coat of electrically conductive material. If you want to try LPS-1 check www.grainger.com .or www.amazon.com They carry it. Also note that there are an LPS-2 and LPS-3. These are not electrically conductive, and will not work as track cleaner. Use only LPS-1.
You were wise to clean the wheels as well as the rails. Dirt and oil transfer easily from one to the other.

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:

Photo below shows a can of LPS-1 and a Minitrix wheel cleaner. This gadget (with the blue and white stripes painted on it) makes cleaning loco wheels quick and easy. Just set the cleaner on the track with the two brass strips on top of the rails. Then hold the loco with its wheels touching the brass brushes on the top of the cleaner. Power on. Loco runs wheels against brushes. Clean wheels!


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Last question first. There is no such thing as running trains too much!

It’s not unusual for track and wheels to get dirty. It is unusual for them to get dirty in a week.

Excess oil on the axle bearings can cause the track to get dirty faster.

How did you clean them? I’ve found that Gue gone (a citrus cleaner) cleans track well, but it can leave a sticky surface that attracts more dirt. I find it best to use 91% alcohol. Many use a track cleaning car, but for any track that is accessible, you can put some alcohol on a paper towel and run it along the track till all the dirt is gone


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Lehigh74 said:


> Last question first. There is no such thing as running trains too much!


Only if you've got a complaining spouse!


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## 89Suburban (Jan 4, 2017)

I use Clorox wipes. Did all the track by hand. Then I took a wipe and folded up a few time to make it thick and ran each rail car over it back and forth many times until all the dirt came off the wheels. Also tilted the cars to both sides while doing that to get the edge of the wheels real good. Then I have a short section of test track for doing the locomotives wheels on a wipe while powered and the wheels spinning. It must just be the bad dust in my house. I'll have to just start making a habit of wiping the tracks down more often as preventive maintenance.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

I don’t think the Clorox wipes will cut the track dirt. I have used a Swiffer pads on track in the past. They picked up some dirt, but then I went over the track with alcohol on paper towels and picked up a bunch more.


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