Track Cleaning Car or Attachment

Hytec Feb 17, 2021

  1. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    I'm looking for something to clean the Mississippi Coast Museum's G-Scale track. I'd prefer a passive system on a pushed or towed car.

    We have a three loops at different heights. The top loop is six feet off the floor, mostly inaccessible. All loops have long tunnels that are accessible from inside only after crawling on the floor.

    I have no experience with G-Scale. So would appreciate any recommendations, advice, or whatever else y'all might have laying around.

    Thanks, Hank
     
  2. Keith

    Keith TrainBoard Supporter

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  3. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Keith, I'll research it.
     
  4. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    I like what I see. I'll ask the museum to order one.

    I'll let you know how it works when I get it, which should be by the end of the month.
     
  5. Keith

    Keith TrainBoard Supporter

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    And I think it can be converted to Kadee coupler, using an 831 coupler.
    And it would come out at perfect height, to the Kadee gauge.
    I don’t know for sure though. Want to get a couple, for my own railroad!
     
  6. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    I'll try to push it based on one of the views showing a flat aluminum panel. (fingers crossed emoji)
     
  7. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    On order. Vendor estimated delivery date, Thursday, 2/25/21.
    Assuming the best, I'll test it Friday, and post results Friday evening. (again wishing for a fingers crossed emoji)

    BTW, the vendor you referenced has their own store on that unmentionable national auction site. If their products are as good as they appear, Trainboard management might consider approaching them to become an advertiser for their G-Scale products.
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2021
  8. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Forget any promises I made about evaluation testing tomorrow, or anytime soon. The track cleaner arrived at the Anaheim, CA Postal Distribution Center on Saturday, 2/20. The message I received Wednesday, 2/24 said, "In Transit, Arriving Late."

    Welcome to our new reality.
     
  9. Keith

    Keith TrainBoard Supporter

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    Typical P/O mistake!!
    Thay have NO clue what they're doing!!
    I've already called them incompetent, as I
    was leaving on a couple of occasions!!
    Packages that were 3 day, showing up after a week etc.....
    Made sure I said it loud enough for folks around me to hear!
     
  10. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    It's in Mobile, AL!!!!!
    May be delivered tomorrow. :eek:
    Might have a review Friday night or Saturday. Please don't hold your breath. :whistle:
     
  11. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    The device does a nice job cleaning rails. However it has a downside, a cast aluminum frame with fixed conical axle bearing pockets.

    Unless your track is perfectly laid with gradual easements, vertical and horizontal, and with perfect switches, the cleaner will derail. The cause is the fixed axle pockets. This prevents the wheels from moving vertically to compensate for track imperfections. Also this does not let the cleaner compensate when being pushed from offset angles as it and the engine go through curves. I saw this when the cleaner was being pushed around a curve into a facing point switch with the diverging rail going in the same direction as the curve. Because of the curve, the cleaner was being pushed at the inside corner of its frame by the engine's inside frame end. The pushing angle was diagonally across the cleaner rather than from behind when on straight track. When the cleaner's front outside wheel reached the turnout point, there was just enough lift caused by the offset push angle that the wheel rode over the point rail splitting the switch. This might be solved by extending the axle bearing pockets vertically by about an 1/8" to allow the wheels to float over imperfect track.

    I'll see if that can be done when I'm in the Museum next week.
     
  12. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    If you have any of the LGB four-wheel cars, for about $18 there is a device with two spring-loaded pads that screws onto the bottom of the car.
    https://www.trainworld.com/manufacturers/lgb/lgb-50050-track-cleaning-attachment/
    [​IMG]

    The deluxe $700 solution from LGB is their track cleaning loco.
    It's a four-wheel loco with sort of a trailer with two powered (and replaceable) wheels which (I seem to recall) run opposite to the direction of travel to scrub the rails.
    https://www.trainworld.com/manufacturers/lgb/lgb-21671-lgb-track-cleaning-locomotive/
    [​IMG]
     
    Kurt Moose and Hytec like this.
  13. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you.
     
  14. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    Two other options, from Piko, are a track cleaning loco and a track cleaning car:
    https://www.piko-america.com/products/38508-clean-machine-green
    https://www.piko-america.com/products/track-cleaning-shimmns-tarp-car-g-scale

    My experience, with an indoor layout, is that the first solution from LGB, with the pads that attach to the bottom of a car, is entirely sufficient.
    If you had an extensive outdoor set-up, where the track is exposed to the elements, then a unit such as the track cleaning loco might be justified.

    Also, if your locos have the sprung electrical pick-ups which slide across the rails, then the bottoms of those should be cleaned periodically, as well as checked for wear to determine if their replacement is required.
     
  15. Keith

    Keith TrainBoard Supporter

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    Last edited: Mar 8, 2021

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