# 642 track cleaning car



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

As promised, I worked out a 642 boxcar into a track cleaning car. The boxcar had no real value as the catwalks were gone.
Pulled the body from the chassis
I had some aluminum flat stock on hand and cut a small rectangle piece to fit between the trucks.
Drilled 2 holes through the piece and into the chassis.
Bought some spring stock from the local hardware and ny-lock nuts with screws.
I fastened the screws to the flat stock.
Added the springs with small flat washers and then used ny-lock nuts to keep everything in place.
Ok, now the facts.. The aluminum flat stock was too light, as I had to increase the tension on the springs. I switched to some flat iron stock I had and re-assembled the unit. You can adjust the downward spring tension by loosening the ny-lock nuts inside the car. To decrease the tension, you tighten the nuts, bringing the pad up. I adjusted the tension until the truck wheels were just starting to leave the rail. With the added weight of the shell, it brought down the pad just right. I'm sure some more tinkering with added weight in the shell and spring tension adjustment could be in order, but you know what?? It works, and I hate to over-think simple problems. The green scotch-brite pad is cut to fit, and I then hot-glued it to the flat stock. Ran it for about 15 minutes and it looks good, works great, and tracks perfectly..Hope you like...


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## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

Wow, that's great! I'd probably have to load the boxcar with pennies to get the tops of my rails to look like yours and GRJ's! Are the green Scotch Bite pads a better fit than the Bright Boy pad on the HO car? I know that both scales use nickel-siver track. Thanks for the progress photos and parts detail. I need to get the Caballero out of the garage (sticking brake caliper again from not being used) decide which boxcar I want to use. There are some beaters at the local shows if mine are too good to use. I'm really impressed with your "I can do it" approach, and think I may try to make one myself. Yep, I like it!


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

kix662003 said:


> Wow, that's great! I'd probably have to load the boxcar with pennies to get the tops of my rails to look like yours and GRJ's! Are the green Scotch Bite pads a better fit than the Bright Boy pad on the HO car? I know that both scales use nickel-siver track. Thanks for the progress photos and parts detail. I need to get the Caballero out of the garage (sticking brake caliper again from not being used) decide which boxcar I want to use. There are some beaters at the local shows if mine are too good to use. I'm really impressed with your "I can do it" approach, and think I may try to make one myself. Yep, I like it!


I got about $5 bucks into it. Most everything I had on hand. It took a little bit longer than expected, about 3 hours, as the spring tension was critical. At first there was no adjustment, but I thought it out a little longer, and you see what I came up with. I'm working on a double-header right now. My Northern pulling a Atlantic. I made this set-up before but sold it...


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## Nuttin But Flyer (Dec 19, 2011)

Flyernut -- you get the MacGyver award of the week for your ingenuity. I see the springs were added -- that was what I was referring to when I mentioned it. What do you have for fastening the plate to the two screws/studs? I see there are nuts and lockwashers on the chassis side of the plate -- what's on the Scotchbrite side? Are they hex head screws or flathead? I should think the same can be done with an old T & P gondola, providing there is sufficient wheel to chassis clearance, then add a load for weight and to cover the locknuts/studs.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Nuttin But Flyer said:


> Flyernut -- you get the MacGyver award of the week for your ingenuity. I see the springs were added -- that was what I was referring to when I mentioned it. What do you have for fastening the plate to the two screws/studs? I see there are nuts and lockwashers on the chassis side of the plate -- what's on the Scotchbrite side? Are they hex head screws or flathead? I should think the same can be done with an old T & P gondola, providing there is sufficient wheel to chassis clearance, then add a load for weight and to cover the locknuts/studs.


Thanks.. That gondola car sounds like it would be a better fit. You could adjust the weight very easily.... To fasten the plate, I used 2 screws, then nutted them to the plate, basically creating a stud. They were machine screws, I believe 6-32, or 8-32, can't remember which. Springs were cut, one coil at a time, to get them right, then a flat washer, keeping the factory double coil on the spring against the flat washer. The cut side of the spring will by-pass the flat washer. Make sense??? Ny-loc nuts to finish it off.You could use a heavier plate, and then counter-sink the screws.


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## Nuttin But Flyer (Dec 19, 2011)

Wonder if there is a way to keep the pad intact, but yet make it easily replaceable?? Do the Velco hook halves stick to Scotchbrite pads?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

A good way to secure the Scotchbrite is to wrap it around to the back and have some clips to secure it there.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

I just hot-glued it down at the corners.


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