Track Cleaning + Clean Wheels: 10 Tips for a Reliable Model Railway/Train Set (includes CMX) + More
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 มิ.ย. 2024
- This video includes 10 tips that I use to create reliable running around the Davidson Parkway model Railway layout. It includes tips for track cleaning, wheel cleaning and other tips.
The link below is to the excellent article by Joe Fugate mentioned within the video that reviews non-polar and polar solvents and the science behind them.
s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mr...
Davidson Parkway has a 10 page feature within the November 2021 issue of BRM. Also previously featured within the September 2019 issue of Model Rail magazine.
Davidson Parkway can also be seen on RMWeb:
www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/137453-...
Many thanks to all the recent viewers and subscribers.
Some answers to Frequently Asked Questions below; hope these help ... feel free to ask any questions;
- The layout is approx 7m by 4.5m (22ft by 14ft)
- The layout is currently DC Analogue, however has future provision to convert to DCC.
- The OLE is only for cosmetic purposes; the pantograph heights on some loco’s have been set just below the wire height; others still to set.
- The layout has been approx 16yrs so far in development; but still plenty to-do.
- The layout is based within the U.K. along the West Coast Main Line somewhere around Stafford - Crewe - Warrington area between mid 1980s to early 2000s.
Interesting tips. I particularly like the idea to use metal rods to hold the kitchen roll in place whilst cleaning.
Hi Alan, many thanks for the comment and glad you found the tips interesting … especially the rods to trap the kitchen roll. 👍 Regards, Mark
Fabulous layout!
Love to watch running sessions
Great easier cleaning tips.
Thanks
Howard
Thanks Howard for the comment … glad you enjoyed and hope the tips have been useful! Am hoping to record a running session and layout update video very soon … a few recent arrivals to reveal! 👍 Kind regards, Mark
Hi have been using Inox MX2 on my small layout. I guess its the same as your WD40 contact cleaner as its also an electrical contact cleaner, Its made in Australia. The slot car racing guys swear by it. Cant recall the last time I have had to clean track, loco wheels and rolling stock. I just apply on a lint free cloth at the front of the layout and let the trains run it around the rest of the layout.
Love the layout
all the best Peter
Thank Peter for the message … yes, Inox is very similar being a non-polar solvent. Charlie of Chadwick produced an excellent video last year that introduced me to Inox and I did purchase a bottle. The only downside is that Inox is not friendly to traction tyres, and the Pendolino has them … whereas i understand WD-40 contact cleaner maybe ok for them. Kind regards, Mark
Great tips thank you
Many thanks Debbie … hope the tips are useful 👍 Kind regards, Mark
I use the matt side of a piece of hardboard, not as rough as a track rubber that creates small scratches on the track.
Many thanks for the comment … yes, hardboard could be used to rub the rails without damaging them. I use the tidy-track as my layout has the overhead wires and the tidy track has a good reach to remove any significant grime 👍
I saw you at Making Tracks 3 yesterday 🙂 Im one of the volunteers there this year ...
Well spotted! I did manage to attend … very impressed! Also good to catch-up with Dave and co … great teamwork behind the scenes and hope you’ve been enjoying operating and volunteering! I did notice a few double-headed Class 90’s on show! 😜 Say hi next time (although it looked like you were all busy with operating, helping the kids operate and making sure no stray arms caused any derailments!) … I’m planning to attend GETS to see the layout as well! Mark 👍
I saw you, and the next minute, you'd gone, I was about to say you were one of the few people lucky enough to have their own making tracks layout, Kat 😊
@@johnson_street_IEMD Hopefully speak next time! It was pretty busy but enjoyable … and yeah! A mini making tracks in the shed I guess … really need to get cracking soon doing a layout update and running session video! 👍
@ModelRailway yeah no worries 👍 happy modelling !!!! Kind regards Kat - Johnson Street IEMD 😀
I banned plastic wheels a long time ago. Don't use a track rubber now but purely use the CMX. Since I have been using that (with IPA), I hardly have to clean traction wheels anymore- every 14 or so running hours now, even for old Lima models. CMX expensive but worth it.
Apologies for the slow reply! Many thanks for the comment and totally agree … the CMX is one of my best purchases ever! And totally agree regarding removing plastic wheels as well … yikes! I did use IPA for a while but then read that it’s not the most optimum solvent to use (although still pretty good) … I use the WD-40 Electrical contact cleaner and only clean the track about once per year! Kind regards, Mark
Brilliant! Must make a better effort to clean my track 👍
Many thanks Darrell … glad you enjoyed … and good luck cleaning your track! 👍
Still waiting for next vid, make it a long one!
I know … apologies! Life has been hectic and challenging … but much calmer now (hopefully! 🤞) so it’s high up the to do list! Some progress to the layout to reveal as well! And yes, hoping this video will be a decent length … 👍
Thank you very helpful. I'll try to adapt your methods for my o gauge DCC layout which is having real problems. You don't need apostrophes in "its" by the way.
Many thanks for the comment Jon and good luck improving the reliability on your O Gauge layout … it’s not much fun when problems occur but hopefully things will improve! Also thanks for the tip in return … I was always much stronger at Maths than English! 😳👍 Kind regards, Mark
Great video and thanks for sharing your methods for track and wheel cleaning. There is a TH-cam video by an Australian modeller on using polar Vs non polar liquids for track and wheel cleaning. After watching it, I now don’t use anything abrasive on the rail head and find a piece of textured hard board soaked with lighter fluid is great for cleaning track. I might have to pinch your idea for wheel cleaning though!
Fantastic layout, please keep the videos coming!
Hi William, thanks for the comment and glad you enjoyed and good to hear the wheel cleaning tips maybe useful … that’s the aim … to help share tips and ideas that maybe useful! I think I know the video you mean … Fishplate Films? He’s certainly a character … but a very useful video about non-polar vs polar … and it helped convert me from using IPA to non-polar, such as WD-40 contact cleaner; and it’s worked for me so far! Kind regards, Mark 👍
Hi Mark. Yes, think that was the video. Just watched through your other videos, love the concept and the level of detail on your layout. The only thing I couldn’t work out from watching the videos, are the storage yards underneath only accessible from one direction?
Kind regards.
William.
@@williamwilson2819 Glad you enjoyed the other videos as well. Regarding the lower storage yards, that’s correct … they’re only accessible from one direction via the ramp. It forms a long end-to-end running from the terminus … so the loco-hauled trains depart the terminus, down the flyover lines, and eventually crossover and head down the ramp to the yards. Yards 2 and 3 are through yards therefore the loco can continue to haul throughout and back up the ramp again, while the new Yard 4 is a dead-end … but push-pull rakes can use them. Up on the main layout, Yard 1 can be accessed from either direction. Hope this helps 👍
@@ModelRailway That makes perfect sense now! Hence having some of the yards as return loops. Makes for interesting operation and gives a sense of purpose to an operating sequence.
Kind regards.
William.
Excellent tips but if you use INOX mp3 you do not need to clean wheels.I have been using INOX for about 40 years. The dirt ends up on the track and becomes conductive. There is some concern about traction tyre life being shortened, but I have not seen any proof of this yet.
Can you do a modern image/2000s running session?
Thanks for the comment and good idea … I’ve limited the era that I’m modelling from mid 1980’s to early 2000’s, so avoided the temptation to model the current scene, but an early 2000’s running session is on the to-do list … 👍
What a brilliant update, thoroughly enjoyed that aswell as a good look around the layout.
Now I have heard that lighter fuel is very good for cleaning track, any views?
Out of curiosity what cloth was used when you pulled it threw those metal loops, looked like toilet paper to me.
Regards Chris
Thanks Chris … glad you enjoyed! Regarding lighter fuel, I’ve heard that as well … although I’m not so keen at putting something so highly flammable around the layout! I understand it’s also a non-polar solvent though so probably does have some good properties; I’m not sure if it’s friendly or unfriendly for plastics and traction tyres etc. Regarding the cloth for wheel cleaning, it’s kitchen roll (not loo roll!) … and I cut the kitchen roll sheets in half; just the right size for the metal rods …. hope this helps 👍 Regards, Mark
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I was quite surprised to see you using WD40 as I thought it was a no no for model railways. Roy .
WD40 contact cleaner is ok to use for cleaning. Don’t use the standard WD40.
Hi Roy, thanks for the comment and glad you enjoyed. It’s WD-40 Contact Cleaner that I use (ie Not the WD40 lubricant) … it has different properties to the WD40 lubricant. www.wd40.com/products/contact-cleaner/
Why don’t you get either 321s or 305/10s for commuter traffic (depending on where your layout is)
Hi, thanks for the comment! Good question …. main reason is that so far, I’ve focused on the loco’s and stock that have been available to purchase ready-to-run, also they’re more interesting for me to operate. An EMU or two would be interesting, especially if a OO gauge manufacturer takes the plunge to model … some EMU’s are becoming available in n gauge, so hopefully one will announce an interesting EMU in OO gauge sometime in the future 👍
Another new video. Also do you really need to use the tidy track cleaner? Could you use sand paper instead as an alternative? Because that’s what I use to get rid of the oxidation.
Thanks … and eek! Sandpaper (and many other abrasives) scratch the surface of the metal, and promote micro-arcing … and over time increases the amount of oxidisation and build-up of grime. I use the track tidy only to remove the small areas of grime, quite gently as well to avoid scratching … also it has a decent reach under the overhead wires. 👍
@@ModelRailway oh dear, So is there an alternative to this Tidy track with household things?
@@TanVasinTrains I think some people use a piece of cardboard or hardboard to rub along the rails as an alternative to a track rubber (or sandpaper etc) … as the board doesn’t scratch the metal of the rails … but does rub any grime off. 👍
If you always use the previous old cloth to measure the length of the new on,e then it will slowly get longer. Better to use a template. This will give the same length every time.
Hi Mike, thanks for the comment! When cutting the new length of cloth I take into account whether the previous length was either a bit short than ideal, or too long or just about right … and never had a problem so far! You’re right tho … a template would probably me more precise, but I would probably mislay it! 😳 👍
Would you know, can WD40 contact spray be used on your track if you have locomotives with traction tyres?
Hi Ian, many thanks for the comment … I have traction tyres fitted to the Hornby Pendolino and no problems with the contact cleaner so far. I was tempted to try Inox but have heard that traction tyres may disintegrate fro that, but understand that WD40 contact cleaner is ok 👍
100 years later, no videos
🤣 A bit dramatic there!! Life has been very busy this year … but patience is a virtue … and will be rewarded soon (I hope! 👍)
Is there Christmas video coming? cheers
Many thanks for the message! Yes … I plan to record a new video very soon, hopefully before Christmas … it’s been a busy few months with work and domestic bits and recently I encountered Covid! I’ve had a few nice arrivals to the layout so plan to do a running session of them in action … 👍
I think WD 40 Contact Cleaner is better that Inox cleaner because the former evaporates whereas the latter leaves a greasy film on the track and if you have gradients it may hinder the tractive effort of locos to climb those gradients.
How to you clean carriage and wagon wheels.
I found WD-40 only worked for a short time. Yes tractive effort is decreased if you use INOX or similar oils, but you do not need to apply it frequently and you never need to clean wheels. I just designed my layout to have sensible gradients and run scale length steam era Australian trains.
How come you suddenly stopped doing updates??
Apologies! it’s been a busy and challenging few months … every time I’ve gone to start recording some clips something has cropped up or get in the way! Hopefully things a bit calmer again … so it’s on the to do list to start recording! 👍