I've heard numerous things about keeping the track clean - is rubbing alcohol okay to clean the track with? If not - what's the best thing to use? I have lionel 3 rail, if it makes any difference.
I primarily use rubbing alcohol to clean my tracks. I have tried other commercial brand cleaners, but for me alcohol works just as good. It also costs alot less.
I tried corn whiskey once but I wound up licking the tracks......didn't have the electricity off either.....didn't hurt after the first 10 shocks though. Sorry , couldn't resist. I too use rubbing alcohol. Russ
Flounder: I use rubbing alcohol on the JJJ&E. I use the CMX+ track cleaning car that Tony's Trains designed. Stay cool and run steam....
I use a Simple Minitrix Cleaning Car that has a Felt pad underneath it.. Does a Good enough joob for me..
I do have a jar of track cleaning fluid (can't remember the make), but rarely use it. Just use a track cleaning rubber.
Power-steam-guy, Dad used to drag a piece of old felt behind the Lionel engine. He had a small wood block on the felt and a piece of film tacked to the front of this block, that allowed the film to bend down and under the front edge of the felt to keep it from hanging up on switches. He laid two small wheel balancing weights on the felt behind the block, to press the felt down onto the center rail, and both outside rails. He would soak the felt in alcohol, then drag it over the whole layout. He would add more alcohol as needed. When dirty, he rinsed the felt clean, then hung it up to dry. Occasionally, he would hook a wire from the engine and run it back over the felt block to pull our cars and clean their wheels while running around the layout too. Usually spring and fall was enough. It was in our basement. [ 15. February 2005, 08:46: Message edited by: watash ]
For track cleaning the absolute BEST I've ever seen is high voltage cable cleaner. It's expensive (compared to alternatives), safe to use in confined spaces, and safe with plastics. It leaves no residue, is non-flamable, and dries a little slower thus allowing more time to clean the track before the solvent disappears. Alcohol works great with a little elbow grease. The "grease" can come from a track cleaning car. It's nice because it dries quickly without a residue, sometime too quickly. It's also very cheap, I've paid as little as $1 US for a quart. If the truth be known, even water can do a decent job, but watch out for disolving the ballast glue! Mark in Utah
I did not think the electronic track cleaner was effective for a sufficiently long distance. If I understand it correctly, the electronic track cleaners will help clean motor brushes and contacts. If you operate with the lights out in the train room, you can see the sparks as the wheels strike dirt and deposits on the layout.
