# Track Cleaning Cars



## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

Hi,

In response to a posting in another thread I thought I would share the cleaning cars I have purchased in my quest for the "ultimate" cleaning car.

https://tonystrains.com/product/cmx-clean-machine-ho/

http://www.aztectrains.com/HO_1.html

https://www.mnpinc.com/ho_scale.htm

The CMX is simple and being all metal can handle most any cleaning fluid you are likely to use on your layout.

It's heavy and depending on your grades may require a very good hauler to pull it around your layout.

The AZTEC car is similar but being made of plastic the suggested cleaning fluid is alcohol. I equipped the AZTEC car with the optional DCC controlled value.

The MNP car is nice for a quick "polish" without having to fill one of the other cars with fluid.


The post that prompted this post mentioned this car of which I have no first hand knowledge. The vacuum feature sounds promising.

http://www.atlasrr.com/HOFreight/hotrackcleaningcar.htm


I know that some folks make there own cars.

Are there any other cleaning cars that I have missed?

Frederick


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I found this gem at a train show and got it for
5 or 6 #. I don't know who made. i've seen
another like at a different train show.

















It was designed to feed the liquid
cleaner down on to a round felt pad that pressed
against the track. I found that the top for the
tank was glued on so guessed it leaked. Doesn't
matter. A couple drops of alcohol on the pad and
it does a fantastic job. I use one of my locos to
push it around the track. Never snags on turnouts
backward or forward.

Don


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

the atlas car seems to be similar to what the dapol track maintinance car can do ..with the exception that the dapol is motorized i believe

edit: checked the dapol site, yes motorized for cleaning, not self propelled ,
same as atlas offering looks like ...I made an incorrect assumption


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

Thanks for the info. I've decided to purchase a CMX cleaning car for my layout. I've been using the rag and finger method all my life and since my new layout has a fair amount of difficult to reach track, I'm hoping this will do the job.

Mark


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

DonR said:


> I found this gem at a train show and got it for
> 5 or 6 #. I don't know who made. i've seen
> another like at a different train show.
> Don


That looks familiar but I cannot remember the details.

Was it an Ulrich?

Frederick


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

wvgca said:


> the atlas car seems to be similar to what the dapol track maintinance car can do ..with the exception that the dapol is motorized i believe
> 
> edit: checked the dapol site, yes motorized for cleaning, not self propelled ,
> same as atlas offering looks like ...I made an incorrect assumption


Indeed you are correct.

I ordered one of the Dapol units and will report on my impressions.

Frederick


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

Mark VerMurlen said:


> Thanks for the info. I've decided to purchase a CMX cleaning car for my layout. I've been using the rag and finger method all my life and since my new layout has a fair amount of difficult to reach track, I'm hoping this will do the job.
> 
> Mark


It can do a great job for sure.

If you are careful in setting the "drip rate" you can use lacquer thinner which dissolves all kinds of crud.

If you let the pad get too wet and it drips on to things like ties, foam, etc the lacquer thinner will dissolve those too!

So you may want to use a safer cleaner.

ED-RRR suggested CRC 2-26. The can says it leaves no residue yet I seen some folks say it lives a "film" of some sort that does good things. 


Frederick


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

fcwilt said:


> Indeed you are correct.
> 
> I ordered one of the Dapol units and will report on my impressions.
> 
> Frederick


I admit to being quite curious as to how well the vacumn function works on those .. I have a couple of tunnels, one is under table access [not bad] , but the other is only reachable with a curved stick, forgot to make the top of the mountain removable


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## RonthePirate (Sep 9, 2015)

wvgca said:


> I admit to being quite curious as to how well the vacumn function works on those .. I have a couple of tunnels, one is under table access [not bad] , but the other is only reachable with a curved stick, forgot to make the top of the mountain removable


Never thought of that! Making the top removable.
I always just had access holes. Which sometimes do not provide enough access!

I did one thing smart, I think. In my only tunnel, I put a light with a toggle switch so I can see where the cars ended up.

I have trouble cleaning the rails in the back of the tunnel. I have to use a stick with a rag and alcohol on it.
Works, but a pain.


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## time warp (Apr 28, 2016)

You know that our late friend John Allen, who had the Gorre and Dephetid railroad, had one of his cabooses with an axle locked so it would slide one set of wheels all the time to keep the track clean. Every once in awhile he would just turn that axle slightly so the sliding wheels would wear in a different spot. Brass wheels on Brass Rail No Doubt.


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## Genetk44 (Feb 26, 2016)

wvgca said:


> I admit to being quite curious as to how well the vacumn function works on those .. I have a couple of tunnels, one is under table access [not bad] , but the other is only reachable with a curved stick, forgot to make the top of the mountain removable




The Dapol/Atlas unit works well but it isn't the ultimate. The vacuum on the Dapol/Atlas is pretty handy. I would guess that running a Dapol/Atlas with a CMX behind it would probably be the ultimate cleaning combo.


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

The CMX Cleaning car that I order last week arrived today. I've been running it around my track this evening. I've been using alcohol in it this first time to get some experience with it before I try something more aggressive as a cleaning agent. I really like the build quality and design of this car. The pad holder tilts both front to back and side to side and is spring loaded to keep it in contact with the rails. I was able to pull it with a 6 axle diesel locomotive up and down 2.5% grades without any real problems. It slowed dow a bit going up hill, but nothing that caused any concern. I did find a tortoise turnout motor with a throw wire that sat up slightly above the rails. After trimming that down a bit, I had no problems with the cleaning car catching on anything on my track. I'm really happy with this purchase and I look forward to running it periodically around my layout.

Thanks so much for the recommendation.

Mark


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