# Track cleaning help



## dangerwildmike (Oct 28, 2013)

What fluid should I use for lionel 3 rail?

Also is there someway to custom make a track cleaning car out of an old box car?


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## SeaTroller (Feb 2, 2013)

Check this post.
Every option covered.
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=20329


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## TrainLarry (Jan 15, 2012)

Lionel or LifeLike track cleaning fluid can be used. If you prefer a better product, use naptha (available at hardware stores). It is a very good cleaning/degreasing product and will not attack plastic or paint. Use it to clean your trains also. For light rust, use a ScotchBrite pad. Do not use sandpaper, as it will remove the plating on the rails.

Larry


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## ftauss (Sep 18, 2012)

Isopropyl alcohol. I have 2 big bottles of 91%. Use it on wheels and track. I keep a roll of paper towels and various dollar store sponges around. 

Doesn't attack anything except the oil and dirt. Evaporates quickly. Non toxic as long as you don't drink it.


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## Lynn D Bennett (Jul 27, 2013)

dangerwildmike:

I bought a track cleaner car for my HO layout. In the instruction they described what works and what does not for cleaning the rails of the track.

The most aggressive cleaner and the one they recommend for their cleaning car, which came highly recommended, is lacquer thinner on a rag that is rubbed on the rails top surface. Do not get it on anything but the rail top surface. It will remove the plastic on the track from the train wheels. Alcohol will not and alcohol is not all that good at removing oil on the track from the wheels, either.

Then there is the abrasive rubber erasure sold for track cleaning by your train shop. It has embedded grit in it and totally cleans the tops of the rails. It is easier on the rail top than sandpaper.

Both of these methods were highly recommended in the track cleaning car instruction, over and above any other solvent or detergent because the track residue is a combination of oil and plastic off the wheels of the trains.

LDBennett


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

My trains don't have plastic wheels. 

I've been told over and over, both here and at the train shop to never never use sand paper or steel wool on the tracks. 

I also would rather use things that do the least harm if at all possible. It might take more elbow grease, but better safe than sorry in my book. If there is a cleaner that must not touch paint / plastic / whatever, the first car I spill it on will be my favorite one!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I have two cleaners that I use. Isopropyl Alcohol on a rag, and ScotchBrite on my Trackman 2000 track cleaning car. I know naphtha is supposed to be good, but it's very hard on your hands, I suggest a rubber glove if you use it.


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## dangerwildmike (Oct 28, 2013)

I kept seeing stuff on google about Mr. Clean magic eraser with rubbing alcohol. They would mount it to the bottom of a gondola car and use it that way Any objection to that?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=2433&highlight=tubular+track


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

My method for cleaning tubular track is very easy. Run the train on the track until the top of the rails are clean. This is a lot more fun than any other way to clean track. If the track has oil or grease on it, I fold up 2 or 3 paper towels and fasten them to the bottom of a heavy car with rubber bands. Then I put some rubbing alcohol on the towels and use a loco to pull this car around the track. I stop it periodically and fold the towel to a clean surface. Sure beats using elbow grease.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Most of the time I just drag around the Trackman 2000, no cleaning fluid or folding towels, just run the train. Once in a while I'll do a quick pass with the alcohol.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

I bought a good amount of new fastrack about 4 years ago. Shortly after I bought it, I had to clean it. I was running a new El Capitan set on it. It had a lot of oil on it. Where did the oil come from? I have no idea, but the track had a lot of oil on it. Of course, by the time I cleaned the track, the wheels of the loco and cars also had a good amount of oil on them. Anyway, the towels and alcohol made short work of the oil and grease. Cleaning the track by hand was out of the question. It would have taken several hours.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

How much Fastrack did you have? I can clean the 150 feet of track I have down in a few minutes with alcohol and a rag!


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

Well, it was behind the couch and love seat, and that made it a little more difficult. Also, if I used alcohol and a rag it had to be gone over several times to get off what was contaminating the track. Much easier and a lot more fun to run the train.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

servoguy said:


> Well, it was behind the couch and love seat, and that made it a little more difficult. Also, if I used alcohol and a rag it had to be gone over several times to get off what was contaminating the track. Much easier and a lot more fun to run the train.


But I thought you oiled your track? 
Your the oil man.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

If you have locos with sliding shoe pickups, then oiling the center rail is a good idea. For the roller pickups, it is not so important, but oiling the shaft that the roller turns on is a good idea. Oil on this shaft does not prevent the electrons from getting from the roller to the pickup arm, in spite of what some people have suggested. We oil the axles that the drivers turn on, don't we? And the electrons get through this oil just fine. As many of you know, I also oil the commutators and brushes on my locos, and the electrons get through this just fine.


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## carinofranco (Aug 1, 2012)

servoguy said:


> If you have locos with sliding shoe pickups, then oiling the center rail is a good idea. For the roller pickups, it is not so important, but oiling the shaft that the roller turns on is a good idea. Oil on this shaft does not prevent the electrons from getting from the roller to the pickup arm, in spite of what some people have suggested. We oil the axles that the drivers turn on, don't we? And the electrons get through this oil just fine. As many of you know, I also oil the commutators and brushes on my locos, and the electrons get through this just fine.


If you oil the brushes and commutator, won't this make carbonized deposits on the commutator face when the brushes naturally spark on the commutator?


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

Motor oil doesn't seem to cause a problem with the commutator. I definitely wouldn't use 3 in 1 oil, WD-40, light machine oil, etc., on the commutator. 

Brushes are impregnated with oil when they are made. If they were not, they would wear out very quickly.


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## larry g (Oct 8, 2012)

*hey servo guy*

I with you about running the train to clean the tracks. It hits all the right spots and misses all the wrong ones. And its fun!
I never thought about de-greasing using loco power, but I love your idea.
Turn the work into fun! What's better than that!:thumbsup:


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

Larry, I have been developing methods to eliminate work and turn it into fun. I don't want to make my hobby into another job. With this said, I have reworked over 100 022 switches to make them work properly, but this was a labor of love. I like to make things which were broken work again.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

While I'm all for reducing labor, my experience is that running trains alone on the Atlas or Fastrack alone isn't enough to clean the track. However, running trains with the track cleaning car along for the ride does nicely, and it's no more work and just as much fun.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

I only have experience with tubular track, and running the trains polishes a very narrow stripe on the top of the rails. It only takes off corrosion and grease and oil will need cleaning with isopropyl alcohol.


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## jta552 (Jan 20, 2015)

dangerwildmike said:


> What fluid should I use for lionel 3 rail?
> 
> Also is there someway to custom make a track cleaning car out of an old box car?


 #1 • 21 h ago
After struggling for years to come up with a simple and effective track cleaner I have finally managed to come up with something that actually works well and costs almost nothing. I started with a gondola car and attached a piece of aluminum fascia to the underside (see the white piece in the 3rd photo). Then attach a piece of magic eraser with a screw and a plastic washer (also shows in the photos). A fair amount of weight is needed in the gondola ( I used 2 rolls of solder). Then wet the eraser with rubbing alcohol and pull it with any locomotive. It is best not to have any extra cars as the cleaner car is quite heavy and tends to derail other cars. After a few passes around the track clean the eraser material with a rag that is also wetted with alcohol. The oil and dirt wipe off very easily if you do this promptly after cleaning the track. Simple and works great. 






























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## rrswede (Jan 6, 2012)

I cut a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser into a size to fit between the front and rear trucks of a box car fill the box car with fishing weights (not small ones), connect the box car to a locomotive and tender, making sure the locomotive can pull the loaded box car without a lot of effort. If the effort seems excessive, I make the pad a little thinner. Once I get the thickness correct, I make up several pads at the same time, to the right length, width and depth. I then apply 91% Isopropyl to the eraser and then run the car and clean the pad as jta552 does.

swede


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I strongly recommend against using something like the Magic Eraser on your track. Ask Lee about Simple Green and Fastrack if you want to know why! I suggest something that's proven to work with track and not destroy the track!


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## jta552 (Jan 20, 2015)

I know the simple green story but I was not aware of any problems with magic eraser. Are there any instances you know of where it has caused damage ? It does not appear to have any chemical action, just a physical ability to remove dirt and oil. The only chemical I have used with it is alcohol. Thanks in advance for any further info you may have.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I strongly recommend against using something like the Magic Eraser on your track. Ask Lee about Simple Green and Fastrack if you want to know why! I suggest something that's proven to work with track and not destroy the track!


+1

*This Magic Eraser article* describes how it cleans.


*Lee's Simple Green Story*


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## rrswede (Jan 6, 2012)

I use tubular track, both prewar and postwar O27 and O. Neither has ever been sanded and neither had been cleaned with anything other than a rag before I got back to trains in 2011. I then read about Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, 91% Isopropyl alcohol, and the method I use to clean the track on this forum. I do not believe the track or any item has been damaged, to date. John, is there something that I need to be concerned about with the track I use?

Thank you, swede


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