# Dust Monkeys?



## HuTHeBeast (Dec 21, 2013)

Ran my finger over my Kato track this morning, and had a thick black line, I am thinking of purchasing dust monkeys from Woodland Scenics instead of a cleaning car. I know it may not work as well, but how well? If anyone uses this product, tell me about it.

Thank you!
Brandon


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Never heard of Dust Monkeys....dust bunnies, on the other hand......


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Found this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO3HwewrcP0

Looks like it would work great for dust but I don't think it would clean dirty track.


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## Brian (Jan 22, 2014)

I wonder what kind of material is it made of. You could maybe wet it with some track cleaning solution??
Brian


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

The dust monkeys would be good for just dust I would think. The black you're seeing is not from just dust.
I wonder if the monkeys are moist with something like Isopropanol when you first put them on? I doubt it they look dry.
I wonder if you could dampen them with the IPA and run around?

I think just by running it around dry would just get dust off, I don't really think it would clean all of the black off. 
It might, I might be wrong. 

What would help is that after you clean the track make sure your wheels are clean too, or else the track will just get dirty right away.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

A little talk about them, from the site,
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=15906&highlight=dust+monkeys

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=13281&highlight=dust+monkeys

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=13637&highlight=dust+monkeys


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## wc3026 (Aug 20, 2012)

When I put mine on they were whiter then white, now they are BLACK. I think they pick up more then just dust....


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## MRLdave (Nov 1, 2011)

I have no reference for how well they clean, but as wc3026 states, mine have a definite black streak where each rail hits them, so they are definitely removing more than just dust. You can run them wet, which would improve their cleaning, but also increase the mess of using them. My cleaning train has a car with 2 dust monkeys mounted (the monkey being pushed by the back truck seems to clean better than the one being pulled by the front truck) a car with a Masonite pad, and a car with a rubber roller. I also have an Atlas/Tomix cleaning car that I run for "special" purposes (vacuum, wet pad).


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## singletrack100 (Dec 18, 2013)

I've used them. My wife got them for me a few years ago. I will say they do a decent job with maintenance; they won't deep clean track that is really dirty.

I've wet mine with 91% alcohol when I've used them and that really increases their effectiveness, though they dry quickly. In more deperate times (lacking alcohol), I've sprayed brake cleaner and carburetor cleaner on them as well. They've not disintegrated with any of the chemicals I've subjected them to. To also increase the effectiveness, I siliconed thin wheel weights, cut to fit, to each one, giving them a little more gravity assist.

I mounted two on one car, an old searchlight/crane caboose that was bashed into an MOW car (removal of light) with a stack of ties and some wheels on it. Normally it sits at the end of a siding until maintenance is needed in the form of a cleaning.

Happy RR'ing!

Duane


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

wc3026 said:


> When I put mine on they were whiter then white, now they are BLACK. I think they pick up more then just dust....



That is good then. Whiter then white? 
Have you tried to clean the black off of them with something to make them "whiter then white" again to reuse them? I would think something would get them clean again to reuse instead of buying new ones to use.

A review on the Dust monkey's, http://modeltrains.about.com/od/productreviews/fr/Woodland-Scenics-Dust-Monkeys.htm

I wonder why they have not made any for O trains?


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## wsboyette (Jan 25, 2014)

I use this big abrasive sanding pad, and it does an excellent job of cleaning the track.


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## singletrack100 (Dec 18, 2013)

big ed said:


> That is good then. Whiter then white?
> Have you tried to clean the black off of them with something to make them "whiter then white" again to reuse them? I would think something would get them clean again to reuse instead of buying new ones to use.
> 
> A review on the Dust monkey's, http://modeltrains.about.com/od/productreviews/fr/Woodland-Scenics-Dust-Monkeys.htm
> ...


When I didn't have alcohol and used brake cleaner, that made mine clean!

Happy RR'ing!

Duane


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

big ed said:


> I wonder why they have not made any for O trains?


They only make them for REAL model railroaders......:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*track cleaning car plans?*

track cleaning cars! Are there any plans for design it yourself?
For example, a slightly modified, flat car, gondola, boxcar or caboose?
Thank you ,tr1


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

tr1 said:


> track cleaning cars! Are there any plans for design it yourself?
> For example, a slightly modified, flat car, gondola, boxcar or caboose?


Found this using Google, the model railroader's friend....:

http://www.willegal.net/railroad/rr-tc.htm


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

big ed said:


> I wonder why they have not made any for O trains?


They're only for puny little trains that can't support real track cleaning cars.


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## BobS (Jun 18, 2015)

I like the concept of "whiter than white". I think something in this category might just become invisible to the naked eye. Perhaps it can only be seen by animals with keener vision.


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