# home made cleaning car? or commecial?



## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

Any ideas for a quick/cheap homemade cleaning car? I have a few areas that I clean with a stick with a pad on the end. As I get older(and lazier) I am looking for an easier way to clean the track. 
Commercial would be OK also but I do not want to spend a fortune on one. Thanks; Don


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## SeaTroller (Feb 2, 2013)

Check out Flyernuts's post in S scale. Looks like a good design on the cheap.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Don, I think the good commercial ones that actually work are expensive. I would try to build one yourself. I know a few people here have done it with good success. Doesn't hurt to try if you got extra parts.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I like the Trackman 2000, but they're no longer made. I got one on eBay, it works quite well with Scotchbrite pads. I found mine on eBay for $64 as I recall.


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## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

What can I use for the alcohol soaked pad? I have felt and some other thick filter material.
Thanks; Don


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Don,
The older I get, the more I buy into "Good stuff ain't cheap.....cheap stuff ain't good". 
I've spent lots of money and time trying to save a few bucks on (you name it) over the years. Sorry, but quality is never "cheap". 
I bit the bullet a couple years ago and parted with some serious money for the CMX cleaning car. When it was first suggested to me by NIMT the price just about freaked me out. I, frankly, thought he was out of his mind.....however, I respected his knowledge in this hobby and shelled out the cash for an HO scale CMX cleaning car.
Not once....not even for a nanosecond....have I been sorry! The CMX works to perfection every time. :appl: 
I simply fill it, per suggestion of NIMT, with denatured alcohol and it cleans the track quickly and perfectly.
More important, the danged thing is built like a battle tank and will last forever.
Just my two cents,
Bob


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

I really want one of those CMX cars, just haven't yet, now as far as home made vs. factory made, I have both, and none of them work worth a darn, that maybe why I haven't pulled the trigger on the CMX car yet, I really don't care about price if it does work, I just don't want another dust collector.................Mike


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

What exactly do you have as far as cleaning cars Mike?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> What exactly do you have as far as cleaning cars Mike?


Mike has this one he built. :smilie_daumenpos:



http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=12882


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

I always wanted one too, I'm not getting older, I'm just plain lazy. I'm thinking of a build. I'm thinking an alcohol drip over a scotch brite pad? Just an idea.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Guys,
Nope, I'm not a big drinker........but for any of you who have tipped even a couple in your lifetime you've more than likely noticed the BIG difference between cheap booze and good booze.
The same is true with track cleaning cars!  You simply don't get a Mercedes for a Chevy price.  Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.
The CMX is, IMHO, the Mercedes of track cleaning cars. 
Sure, it's expensive. You buy it once. It's built like a tank. It works like you desire. It lasts forever with proper care.
Case closed.
Bob


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Raleets, I believe you. I just don't have the $$$$$. I think I read a thread about the very car you speak. I believe it might have been when you were looking for a track cleaning car. ( I don't know my memory is shot recently) . But there is something to be said for building a better mousetrap. Even if it doesn't work he fun is in trying. Then after I fail, save up and buy the cmx.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

sjm,
I admire your gumption for wanting to build something yourself and save the bucks. This route can also be fun and rewarding IF you're somewhat successful.
I've reached the point in life where I know my limitations so, rather than frustrate myself into a coma, I simply cough up the buckos and get what I really want.
In either case, it's a great hobby and certainly teaches the art of patience.
Have fun,
Bob


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## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

I really don't have problems on the track so I'm not sure I need something great. So far once in a while (probably less than once a month) i wipe with an Alcohol soaked rag and the trains run fine. I have been cleaning the hard to reach track with a rag on a stick.
I'm retired so I have more time than money and this seemed like a nice little project.
So far I have not had to buy anything new , just stuff I have around. Don


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## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

Here is a photo of what I made. I have not tried it yet. I will probably eventually make another weight with scotch bright on it. Don


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## GK Trains (Aug 10, 2013)

I agree with Gunrunnerjohn. I have a trackman 2000 and it works great.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Don, that's similar to the Trackman 2000 with one big difference. the articulated arms on the TM2000 keeps the pad and weight on the track on curves, a very clever design. If your pad is wide enough, that will work, but it may catch trackside accessories on it's way by.


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## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

It should catch the curves,The car is fairly short and the pad is much wider than the track. I do have a signal that is close .I will probably have to work around it.
If it doesn't I can reach the curves easily, It's the back straight that is hard to reach.
I'll probably use my Track-mobile to tow it. Nice thing about TMCC , I can keep the other train on the track and follow it with the cleaning car. Don


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## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

bad news/Good news/good news; The track mobile won't tow it, to much friction. It clears the signal tower and my RS11 tows it fine added to the caboose at the end. This was on my loop with 034 and 042 turns. 
Not sure how it will go on the loop with 027 and 034 turns. (had trouble with this car derailing on 027 turns when placed close to the loco but worked fine towards the end of the train.) Don


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Don, you beat me to it, I was reading your previous post and I was going to point out the Trackmobile won't handle anything that drags like a cleaning car. 

I suspect the derailments with that in a longer consist were due to the fact it's a light car, but I suspect just towing it with a locomotive won't be an issue.


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## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

The track mobile is cute, that is it's only virtue. I think it has the power but is lacking in traction. 
The cleaning car now weighs 10 oz. I was afraid with the friction it would pull the caboose off on the turns but it did not. If it did I would move it up further in the train. 
I just got a dummy B unit. I did not weigh it but I'll bet it's over a pound. It tows nice behind the RS11. somewhere down the road i'll be looking for a F3 type A unit in Southern RR to match it. Don


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> What exactly do you have as far as cleaning cars Mike?


I have the one that Big Ed put up, one I bought from northeast trains, in NJ. and the Lionel M.O.W. scrubber car . ................Mike


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Actually, the TMCC board in the Track Mobile is very small and low powered. Pulling more than two-three freight cars with it is not recommended.

I have the old Lionel rotary track cleaner, I had fitted that with a Scotchbrite pad and added a diode to cut the power to the motor down for command running with 18 volts. It works OK, but it's pretty noisy and occasionally catches on switches. I like the Trackman 2000 better.


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

one of the members in my local TCA chapter is a "o" scale two rail fan, but like every one else, gets dirty track, what he dose is glue Mole skin to a piece of Masonite board attached to the bottom of a car, he said the mole skin polishes the rails to a mirror finish ,and uses no liquid.
Now ,I have no idea where to get mole skins, he said at our next meeting he would bring the car and demonstrate its cleaning powers, and at that time ,take orders for any one wanting one. ..............Can hardly wait, gunna have the money in my hand as I walk in. ...........Mike


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

Big Mike said:


> Now ,I have no idea where to get mole skins...


Mole skin is used to protect the skin on the foot of hikers, runners, long distance walkers, etc. Used it a bit in the Army when I was doing my special training as we would hike very long distances with very heavy ruck sacks. But that's a story for another time...

Mole Skin can be bought at Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target, etc. I've always seen it in a yellow package in the first aid sections of any store. It's available as a large pad that you can cut to fit, or in pre cut shapes. 

http://www.walgreens.com/q/moleskin


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## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

I cleaned the tracks with a filter pad (white filter material from tropical fish that I had) soaked in alcohol. It worked but I did not get as much dirt and grease as I thought I would .
I wan not having any problems so maybe the track was not all that dirty.
I may try the mole skin. with the car the way it is it is easy to change to a different material. Don


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## jta552 (Jan 20, 2015)

Don Trinko said:


> Any ideas for a quick/cheap homemade cleaning car? I have a few areas that I clean with a stick with a pad on the end. As I get older(and lazier) I am looking for an easier way to clean the track.
> Commercial would be OK also but I do not want to spend a fortune on one. Thanks; Don


Don. I just posted photos and instructions for a cleaning car I made in 20 minutes and works just great. Check it out. The post in O scale is titled :Track cleaning car that actually works. Good luck. Gerry


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## jta552 (Jan 20, 2015)

jta552 said:


> Don. I just posted photos and instructions for a cleaning car I made in 20 minutes and works just great. Check it out. The post in O scale is titled :Track cleaning car that actually works. Good luck. Gerry


 #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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## highvoltage (Apr 6, 2014)

FYI, in case you weren't aware, this is a post from 7 years ago. The OP hasn't been on the board in over 3 years.


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## jta552 (Jan 20, 2015)

Thanks. I should have noticed that.


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## highvoltage (Apr 6, 2014)

jta552 said:


> Thanks. I should have noticed that.


No worries, thought that was the case. Just didn't want you waiting around for a reply.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

jta552 said:


> #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. ...
> 
> 
> ...


Notice how the center rail is dirtier than the outside rails. I had read that the arcing between the rails and Loco pickups causes a metal oxide to build up. So I presume the arcing on the center rail is double that of the outside rails (there are two of those and more contact points - wheels).

Anyway, your solution prompted a thought. Cut the eraser pad into strips to fit between the wheels on each truck. The forward strip would take the brunt of the cleaning while the rear pad would "mop up" the remainder. Or, you could turn the car around for subsequent cleaning runs. However, your current setup in the center of the car uses more of the pad. When the car traverses curves the pad is not centered as it is on straights.

Anyway, if you want to experiment ...


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Looks good! And the thread is a blast from the past. A clean track is a happy track as tj crusier would say.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

I am very pleased with the Pat's Trains Cleaning Cars, which I run wet (alcohol) or dry with an non-metalic soft abrasive pad. The car works well but something like a Trackmobile or even a 44-tonner model would have trouble pulling it when its adjusted to really clean well. I use a big diesel like an LC+ SD60. 3M calls that polishing paper and it does a good job on hardened auto paint. Used on track it leaves it, well . . . polished smooth.. 

I also built my own car made from a flat flatcar with track cleaning erasers that weights pushed down on the track. It worked well too. I trying to locate it this morning to take a picture but I could not find it amidst the chaos that is the trainroom with the bridge project I'm doing now.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

Lee Willis said:


> I use a big diesel like an LC+ SD60. 3M calls that polishing paper and it does a good job on hardened auto paint. Used on track it leaves it, well . . . polished smooth..


Comment and question in one: You can do that because Atlas track is all nickel? Would it eventually wear away the tin coating on other tracks?


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Millstonemike said:


> Comment and question in one: You can do that because Atlas track is all nickel? Would it eventually wear away the tin coating on other tracks?


Yes,it would. That is why I use solid track.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Old threads never die but wait to live again. I like the aluminum swing piece. Easy to do.


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