# Am I doing Damange?



## 05Slowbalt (Dec 19, 2011)

Okay so some of my track in the started Helix got very dirty. I deiced to cover it with painters tape like the rest while I work on the room itself. But I wanted to clean the track first. I am planing on using a sanding block of 380 grit. Will this hurt the track? From the piece I tried on it seem to work great. The track it Atlas Code 83 nickle sliver. 
I know there seems to be posts after posts of this same question, but how and what do you use?
I know Mass Air Flow cleaner works but for what was on my tracks it didn't seems to help.


----------



## MRLdave (Nov 1, 2011)

Depends on your definition of "hurting".........anything abrasive will remove metal, and over time that will cause problems. But it's hard to say if that matters. It could take years , or even decades for any noticable damage to have any effect. It sounds like you are planning to clean the track , and then move on to working on the room ? If that's the case, I'd just wait till you are ready to fire up the layout again. If you are using tape to cover the track, you'll need to clean the track to remove tape residue before running trains anyway.


----------



## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

what happened? everything sounded like it was going awesome with your layout?

What did the track get dirty with?? I would think that is way to abrasive, but i dont know how your track looks or what its covered in?


----------



## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

I thought painters tape did not leave anything on the surface that was used on, once you remove it...

I know some people who use a regular old piece of wood to rub on the top of the track just as paint is getting tacky, when they airbursh their rails and ties.


----------



## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

if he covered track with tape he shouldnt have any residue left on tracks


----------



## dannyrandomstate (Jan 1, 2012)

I wouldn't use the sanding block. It will gouge the rail. What is the dirtiness you speak of? What got on it? Try a rag with some 91% alcohol on it, and wipe down the rail.


----------



## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

What Danny said. Sanding will leave scratches (however miniscule) that will trap dirt causing contact problems later on.


----------



## irishthump (Jul 1, 2013)

Get a small offcut of wood and leave it permanently soaking in a container of alcohol and use this to clean the track. Works a treat!


----------



## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

That's good info Irish, thanks for sharing.


----------



## ssgt (Jan 8, 2013)

Are you using nickel silver or brass track? Regardless of the track,don't use an abrasive method of cleaning .It will scratch the top of the rail and retain dirt,it will also promote sparking as the locomotive runs.I use tuner cleaner with my track cleaner car.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Plain old 91% Isopropyl Alcohol will clean off the tape residue and won't damage the track.


----------



## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

x3000 on the alcohol wipe.....


----------



## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

No one uses the old Briteboy erasers any more? Or a masonite board with a papertowel wrapped around it soaked in alcohol like John suggested?


----------



## 05Slowbalt (Dec 19, 2011)

Well what happen is I had some of the track lay and then deiced to do some work on the room so I used 3M painters tape to protect it and keep it clean. Then I stop working on the room and started the Helix. You have to lay track to continue the helix. Well I finished the helix and then went on to work on the room. Over a weeks worth of dust and not sure what but now there is blackish color stuff on the rails. I tried Mass Air Flow cleaner and that didn't work. I would like to clean the track in the helix and then tape it off while I finish the last coat of paint. I will try the alcohol and see if that takes it off.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I used the blue painters tape to cover the track while doing some 
landscaping. It did leave a residue that had to be cleaned off before
running any trains over it. I used alcohol on a kitchen scrub bar.

Don


----------



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I was going to mention the sparking at the wheels. Every time you see a spark from the wheels there will be a bit of carbon deposited on the rail AND the wheel. Pretty soon you have to clean the rails and the wheels more an more and that gets tedious. Best to use a cloth with rubbing alcohol or a track cleaning eraser you can get at hobby shops.
Pete


----------



## 05Slowbalt (Dec 19, 2011)

I did the alcohol trick seems to work. I did one rail clean one beer for me trick lol.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That only works if you don't have more than 4 rails to clean!


----------



## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*Track maintenance*

Hi Guys
My brass EZ track was miss aligned so bad in some areas that I used emery paper to get joints smooth to stop derailments, used a block with 180 grit to smooth out joints and followed with. In some cases I soldered the track joint together to make a nice straight transition from one track to another.
No more derailing, I think even a higher grit like 600 with a track cleaner might be good to polish track, might be something I will try also. 
2tall


----------

