Track Cleaning

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Convert an old wagon

Hi all,
Whilst there arguments for and against using track rubbers to clean your track due to the abrasive nature of the beasts, I still find them very useful for getting rid of that 'baked on dirt'.
I mainly tend to use alcohol in my track cleaner tank wagon but still find the need to do the odd bit of rubbing with the track rubber.
The trouble is, as the layout construction is progressing, there are more obstacles that are now in the way and prone to getting knocked. I also plan to fit a catenary system at some point in the future so I began to think about the matter the other day and have come up with a rather nifty solution.
Pictures paint a thousand words so I will explain what I have done along side each picture.

I had an old Airfix brake van that I acquired off a well known auction site many months ago and the underside of the chassis seemed to have ample room to fit a Peco track rubber in. I am sure other wagons would also have enough space to accommodate a track rubber.



I removed some of the vertical stays that strengthen the running board mounting with my miniature drill.










The track rubber was then trimmed at each end to reduce it's length. I didn't need to trim the sides.






The track rubber is a snug but slightly loose fit under the chassis and it's own weight is enough to keep it in contact with the track.



The complete track cleaner. It works exceptionally well and glides over the many points that I have installed around the track.



If this idea has appeared else where then I apologise but I hope this may be some help to you and allow you to use a track rubber without applying any pressure so you get minimal abrasion.   

Last edit: by thespanishdriver


Gary
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Hi Gary,

Add a way of using 1000 and 2000 grit paper and you would have a really decent cleaning and polishing system. Peco pad to get rid of the crud, the grit to get rid of the scratches that the pad leaves. Two-sided adhesive tape on the pad?

Nigel

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Hi Gary,

A useful little project and with a metal wheel set, a source or some of the black track crud is also eliminated.

I'm sure we all have a suitable wagon in the inventory for such a useful and easy conversion, I know I certainly have!

Many thanks,

Bill



At 6'4'', Bill is a tall chap, then again, when horizontal he is rather long and people often used to trip over him! . . . and so a nickname was born :)
 
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Thank you for your comments.
Nigel, I would not disagree with you one bit. Track rubbers work because of their abrasive quality and they are not to everyone's taste. I have old track as re-starting into the world of model railways, I was saving the pennies and bought a lot of second hand track.
I read somewhere about the track cleaning properties of plywood. Given that I agree with your comments and would not want to influence fellow modellers to use a track rubber unnecessarily, I paid a visit to my workshop this morning and fashioned a piece of plywood to the same dimensions as the track rubber. This seats under the wagon just the same and I have a little piece of lead on top to add a little weight.





Sanded and corners rounded off a little and it too works a treat.

Thanks for your nice comments Bill. Sometimes it is the simplest of things that work.  

Last edit: by thespanishdriver


Gary
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I bought a carbon stick from the local art shop. I rub that over the track about once a year, not a problem after that..
Worth a try lads. :)

reg
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Ed
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Ed is in the usergroup ‘Super-moderators’
If it works, it works.

But I thought it was hardboard (Masonite) rather than plywood Gary.


Ed

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You may well be right about the hardboard Ed but I read an article that mentioned plywood. As you say, if it works, it works. Plywood does work - it soon gets discoloured from the rail surfaces. I have plenty of hardboard laying around in the workshop so might even give that a whirl too.
Anything to make life just that little bit easier.

Gary
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