# Do these work to keep track clean?



## kix662003

I was looking at this on eBay. The HO boxcar I run on the town layout has a Bright Boy mounted underneath and enough weights to keep the track maintained. Do these old Flyer cleaning cars keep vintage track clean?


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## flyernut

Hi George.. The car will work, to a certain point.I use mine when the tracks are very dirty, so the pads tend to gum up quickly. If you do a regular routine with the car, I see no reason why it shouldn't work out great for you. Replacement pads are available. I have several different versions of this car; link coupler, knuckle coupler, 5-digit version, pike master version with different color tank, (white and silver), in the original blister.


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## llskis

kix662003 said:


> I was looking at this on eBay. The HO boxcar I run on the town layout has a Bright Boy mounted underneath and enough weights to keep the track maintained. Do these old Flyer cleaning cars keep vintage track clean?


George: It's been my experience that these "cleaning cars" only work marginally. Even if you
weight them down its never enough weight. Only way to clean the track is by hand to do it right. IMHO Larry


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## gunrunnerjohn

That might be true for HO, but my Trackman 2000 with Scotchbrite pads works great on O-gauge track. We use the same unit at the modular club, that and running is all the cleaning the tracks get.


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## llskis

gunrunnerjohn said:


> That might be true for HO, but my Trackman 2000 with Scotchbrite pads works great on O-gauge track. We use the same unit at the modular club, that and running is all the cleaning the tracks get.
> 
> View attachment 30800


John: Do you have any idea what that car(Trackman 2000) weighs?? Thanks Larry


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## gunrunnerjohn

I didn't until 30 seconds ago!  I just weighed it, 2 pounds, one ounce. Most of the weight is in the steel block for the pad that hangs down and does the scrubbing.


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## Magne-rail

gunrunnerjohn said:


> That might be true for HO, but my Trackman 2000 with Scotchbrite pads works great on O-gauge track. We use the same unit at the modular club, that and running is all the cleaning the tracks get.
> 
> View attachment 30800


 That's super. I bet it works good. Did you make this track cleaning car or is it something that can be purchased from a dealer? I made one myself with an LGB track cleaner. My son has it at his place. It seems to work ok. Very similar to what you have there in the photo. Next time I'm over my boys place running trains I'll take a few photo's of the track cleaning car. Also, in the "My layout" section I posted two video's of my son's layout.

Sal


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## gunrunnerjohn

This was a commercial car, though it's no longer in production. I saw one owned by another club member and decided I liked it. I camped on eBay with a search until one at a reasonable price came along.


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## kix662003

I think there will be some competition to find one on eBay now! Thanks for the input. I'll take a photo of the HO car that I'm using now to see if anyone knows if it's something homemade or a retail item. I'd really like to have one for S-scale and build a tiny ceiling layout if it works out.


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## gunrunnerjohn

I think I paid around $70 for mine, but they're scarce. I had to clean it up a bit, and replace the coupler springs, but it was all there and functional.


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## kix662003

Here are some photos of mine that I took for my cloud album (reason text was inserted). To me, it looks homemade, but may be available as a kit. Anyone see these for sale in S scale?


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## flyernut

I like that George. You know what I'll be doing this week!!! Thanks for the idea..Loren


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## kix662003

flyernut said:


> I like that George. You know what I'll be doing this week!!! Thanks for the idea..Loren


Keep us posted. I have lots of cars and may ask you to retrofit one for me too! I've got bids in on some AF track cleaning cars too. It would be cool to adapt the pad to one of those.


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## flyernut

kix662003 said:


> Keep us posted. I have lots of cars and may ask you to retrofit one for me too! I've got bids in on some AF track cleaning cars too. It would be cool to adapt the pad to one of those.


Alrighty.. I have a 642 boxcar that's doing nothing!! I just may use it..Loren


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## llskis

Another thing to consider is that I believe "S" gauge track would be a lot harder to clean
with one of these cars because of the design of the track. Is not "O" gauge track "rounded" on the the top where as "S" gauge track has a "flat" surface on the top of track? :dunno:This would present a lot harder surface to clean.(More Area) IMHO Comments?? Larry


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## gunrunnerjohn

Other than standard Lionel tubular track, most O-gauge track also has a flat profile on the rail tops. It doesn't seem to present any special issue.


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## Nuttin But Flyer

Loren -- Sounds like you might have found yoursself a business venture here.

George - That idea does look promising for an old boxcar. I'll wait for Loren's design before attemting anythingof my own. As far as the Gilbert track cleaning car, it amounts to not much more than a duster with those felt pads. And sadly they don't even turn on the posts. So after some time in contact with the rails, they appear oddly shaped and need to be rotated regularly. What would have been great was to have the tank on that car filled with track cleaning fluid, continuously feeding the rollers with fluid through tiny hose so that the rails were cleaned properly.

Maybe Loren can work up one of those too?? Just like Scotty on Star Trek....he is a "miracle-worker".


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## Magne-rail

Did you place any weights inside the boxcar? I like that idea. Good job my friend.

Sal


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## flyernut

Magne-rail said:


> Did you place any weights inside the boxcar? I like that idea. Good job my friend.
> 
> Sal


I believe the weight needed is the sheet metal piece the pad is mounted on?


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## Nuttin But Flyer

Any way to make it spring-loaded to maintian track contact??


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## gunrunnerjohn

Spring loaded would be bad unless you add a lot of weight inside the car! You'd lift the car right off the tracks, and that would stop the cleaning process pretty quickly.


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## Nuttin But Flyer

I see your point, but I was speaking of a fairly weak spring, such as used on the front pilot assembly of a Flyer steamer. Just enough to keep it in contact with the track.


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## flyernut

Nuttin But Flyer said:


> Any way to make it spring-loaded to maintian track contact??


I just finished my track cleaning 642 box car,lol.. Pictures to follow in about 2 hours. I want to use my sons new 500 dollar Nikon! And yes, mine is spring-loaded...


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## gunrunnerjohn

Nuttin But Flyer said:


> I see your point, but I was speaking of a fairly weak spring, such as used on the front pilot assembly of a Flyer steamer. Just enough to keep it in contact with the track.


Well, that weak a spring would probably not add much to the mix. I figure about 3/4 of the 2+ pounds of my track cleaning car is the big metal block that holds the scrubbing pad, a couple of ounces of spring tension wouldn't so much I can imagine.


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## kix662003

The HO boxcar that I posted photos of is weighted inside the car and it also uses the weight of the thin metal piece the pad is attached to. I have a postal scale somewhere, and I'll weight the car. It's heavy, but so heavy that I can't pull it around with a couple passenger cars in line. Loren built me a hot rod Atlantic, so I know it should tote whatever is hooked up to it! 

Don.. I saw that there was a vintage track cleaning car on eBay that had a wet "pad" behind the dry rolls that Gilbert used, maybe for alcohol? I'm presently high bidder on three of the Gilbert cleaning cars on eBay. Hope someone else outbids me on two of them!

My HO oldest weighted 40-foot boxcars are 4.5 oz, my newest weighted 50-foot is 5.2 oz, and the tracking cleaning boxcar weighs 8.0 oz. I imagine the larger AF boxcar should weigh twice as much, based on the difference in flat track surface and larger wheels?


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## Nuttin But Flyer

I was unaware of a "wet" cleaning car. I'd like to see photos of that one....better yet, own one.


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## gunrunnerjohn

Plenty of "wet" cleaning cars, but they are a bit more trouble since you have to replenish the "wet" regularly.


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## kix662003

Wet cleaning.... I've just finished doing some wet drying... Glad I posted this thread. It rained here for a full five days last week, and I see moisture will be a problem on my Flyer layout. Garage has heat and AC but temps are 68-72 so thermostats don't engage. Looks like the flyer will soon run on a shelf/ceiling layout in the house. Rain is forecast for three more days this week. Don't want to take a chance on rusting. Thanks for all the input!


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## Nuttin But Flyer

That much rain is gonna make the grass grow on the layout. You'll have to find some S-scale figures with mowers to care for it.


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## kix662003

Nuttin But Flyer said:


> That much rain is gonna make the grass grow on the layout. You'll have to find some S-scale figures with mowers to care for it.


Good idea. It's supposed to start raining again tonight, but not another 5 to 7 inches like last week. Does AnyRail have a library for Gopher wood? I may need to build an Ark instead of a train layout if it does!


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## Nuttin But Flyer

Found this online - maybe worth checking out........

http://www.snstrains.com/Products/track_cleaning_products.html


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