# Cleaning Nickel Silver track / Peco turnouts



## MikeL (Mar 21, 2015)

Hi all,

I dismantled my last layout about 5 years ago and stored the flex track and Peco switches in a unheated room (I live in Montreal). Is there anything special I can do to make sure the track and especially the switches perform properly?

Mike


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

If you can flex and lay the tracks well enough (the plastic ties and webbing between them are not brittle), all the tracks will need is a clean bearing surface. You can do that by rubbing them with alcohol and then burnishing lightly with a stainless steel washer, round side down.

For the turnouts, I would soak them in a solution of TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) to remove/loosen any glues, dust, and gunk, especially from around the pivots and the throwbar. Rinse thoroughly, working the throwbar back and forth as you do. Let dry. Test the points for connectivity thrown each way, and also the frog rails as they are jumpered to the closure rails and should get power from those. I use 600 grit paper to lightly swipe the inside of the blade on the points to ensure good contact with the stock rails.

I don't honestly know (can't remember reading if so), but you may be able to replace corroded or broken over-centre springs with new ones obtained from Peco. If you intend to use points control servos/motors, you might as well not replace the springs anyway.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

What does the stainless steel washer do to the rail? I've never heard of using that before.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Shdwdrgn said:


> What does the stainless steel washer do to the rail? I've never heard of using that before.


Because it is a harder metal than the nickel silver alloy, it will polish out smaller scratches made in the track surface by coarser methods of cleaning. Unlike a file, emery cloth, etc., it does so by actually smoothing the metal, not by removing material.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Ah, that makes sense... thanks!


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