Cleaning LGB Track

ANY cola is slightly acidic (pH about 3.4, 7 being 'neutral' like water)..
It is quite weak, and also sticky / syrupy so you may need to treat for longer, and use more of the product, than a commercial cleaner. - Drain cleaners are quite often 'acidic' in this sense, though splashing cheap cola about is probably a little more friendly to you, the environment, and your clothes!
 
Sarah Winfield said:
I think I'll use vinegar. Does it effectiveness decrease?
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Vinegar is good..
Normal 'protection' applies.. Gloves, old clothes (bleaches colour), Safety glasses (it *really* stings!!!! Don't ask)...
The vinegar (acetic acid) will be used in converting the corrosion to other salts..

You need a Car Port, or garage to do it in really. - A bit smelly! MUST be a well-ventilated area.

Oh, and if necessary, get permission from other family members..
 
Just an "Observation", not an attempt to stir any pot...filled with soup, chili, or any other known liquid, or semi-liquid...
Isn't it rather interesting, that the subject of "Cleaning Track" goes from one extreme to the other. Some go out of their way to dirty it up, or as they say "Weather it", and the other group is so concerned with cleaning it, that they put it into their dish washers...
I do see the point of cleaning the head of the rails, to promote good electrical contact (BTW...the weakest link in electrically powered model trains, in any scale), and keeping trash of any scale away from the running rails, to prevent derailments...BUT
This obsession towards ultra clean, collector quality track, is a bit much, I suggest.
There is of course a difference between "Rail" and "Track", which is often cornfusing to anyone seeing a request of "How to clean track"
As long as the plastic ties hold the rail properly, and are not breaking up when given a slight glance...leave the blighters alone...you can do more damage fooling with aged plastic, than just leaving it alone. The aging of the plastic ties more often makes them look more realistic.
I have plastic ties still in service, after 30 years of outdoor use in four seasons, including HOT, and extreme cold. They are ties from Aristocraft, LGB, Kalamazoo, USTrains, and RailCraft. They have "Aged" to reflect rather well, the look of real wood ties. If ballasted, they all generally look the same, unless you are modelling a Museum model scene...where even I would see the need of better modelling practises.
Fred Mills
 
As one who has been trying to model railways for over 60 years but never been able to build a layout. FWIW it is the stopping and starting with power interruptions to the locomotive wheels that has always been a bug-bear to my efforts. Plastic frogs were a source of frustration until I exchanged all my O gauge track for live frogs. Obviously that helped but there were other problems which marred my enjoyment.
I have bought quite a lot of second hand G scale track and although much of it is in "used outside" condition it is the chunkiness of the rail profile and the robustness of the sleeps that I think helps with the running of my Stainz. My points are the short LGB ones with their plastic frog and while at the moment I can enjoy my locomotive and carriage going round my oval of LGB track sooner or later I must create a siding or passing loop and then the frustration will set in again. I don't really care that most of my track is quite dirty I just feel I'll have less frustration with this larger size, with its nice big wheel flanges, than with fine scale O gauge track. I'm cleaning the rail ends of all my track using either vinegar of cola and then using a sharpening stone, lightly, to clean up the top of the rail.
Each to their own but at my age I just want something that is reliable.
 
I agree with Fred above, but making sure the joiners are clean is also important, so keep at it Sarah.

A note about LGB points if you haven't already realised. They do not isolate as per the smaller scales, so you will need to wire in switches and use isolating joiners such as LGB 10260 or similar.

http://www.champex-linden.de/lgb_pr...4961852c1256936003d14ba02ec.html?OpenDocument

However, as I see you will be going digital, then there will be no need for these....
 
Don't forget the inside of the rail. The wheel flanges can also help with the power flow, because of the wheel profile, not a lot of it actually touches the rail top.
 
Sarah Winfield said:
As one who has been trying to model railways for over 60 years but never been able to build a layout. FWIW it is the stopping and starting with power interruptions to the locomotive wheels that has always been a bug-bear to my efforts. Plastic frogs were a source of frustration until I exchanged all my O gauge track for live frogs. Obviously that helped but there were other problems which marred my enjoyment.
I have bought quite a lot of second hand G scale track and although much of it is in "used outside" condition it is the chunkiness of the rail profile and the robustness of the sleeps that I think helps with the running of my Stainz. My points are the short LGB ones with their plastic frog and while at the moment I can enjoy my locomotive and carriage going round my oval of LGB track sooner or later I must create a siding or passing loop and then the frustration will set in again. I don't really care that most of my track is quite dirty I just feel I'll have less frustration with this larger size, with its nice big wheel flanges, than with fine scale O gauge track. I'm cleaning the rail ends of all my track using either vinegar of cola and then using a sharpening stone, lightly, to clean up the top of the rail.
Each to their own but at my age I just want something that is reliable.
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THE definitive LGB rail cleaner is the, uh, LGB rail cleaner. Apart from using a Bright Boy pad [not usually found here in UK] there is, in my opinion, nothing better made. You can buy a couple of dozen of them for the price of the LGB track cleaner locomotive.

tac
 
tac foley said:
THE definitive LGB rail cleaner is the, uh, LGB rail cleaner. Apart from using a Bright Boy pad [not usually found here in UK] there is, in my opinion, nothing better made. You can buy a couple of dozen of them for the price of the LGB track cleaner locomotive.

tac
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And if it gets left in one place, it doesn't wear hollows in the rail-head!!
 
At the moment I am leaving the track ends in about 1" deep of either vinegar or cola over night. The ends are showing significant difference in colour from the rail which hasn't been submerged, I then wash the track and clean the rail top and inside (thank you Paul M) with a sharpening stone.
What I have noticed is there is a green deposit at the point where the rail was dipped and that just above it. Is this normal please?
Sarah Winfield
 
I'm at a total loss as to figuring out why you are using vinegar [presumably without the gherkins] when LGB make a perfectly simple - nothing could possibly be easier - rail cleaner that is flexible enough to 'go around the corners' on the railhead? Am I missing something here? I've only been an outdoor rail cleaner since the late 60's, mind, so it's possible that technology has passed me by.

tac
 
Sarah Winfield said:
What I have noticed is there is a green deposit at the point where the rail was dipped and that just above it. Is this normal please?
Sarah Winfield
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Green deposit is verdigris. A natural "byproduct" of the process you are using to remove the tarnish on you brass rail (brass - alloy made from copper/zinc mix). Take a look here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verdigris Max

P.S. Tac I think what Sahra is doing is prepping the rail ends and fish plates for an application of graphite/"Coppergrease" paste to inhibit future oxidation to ensure long term electrical conductivity between track/rail sections.
 
Dipping the ends of my track in vinegar (or any other similar solution) is penetrating into the fish plates. Consequently when assembling pieces of track I know I have clean joints.
Maxi-model, what is "graphite/"Coppergrease"" paste, please?
It's quite a slow job.
Sarah Winfield
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Dipping the ends of my track in vinegar (or any other similar solution) is penetrating into the fish plates. Consequently when assembling pieces of track I know I have clean joints.
Maxi-model, what is "graphite/"Coppergrease"" paste, please?
It's quite a slow job.
Sarah Winfield
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To keep those rail joints "clean" for as long a period as possible then apply some of LGB/Massoth's graphite paste or a product called "Coppergrease" when you reassemble them. The former is available from most garden rail retailers the latter from most DIY or Auto retailers. The effect is not as some might say, "to improve electrical conductivity", as they have no conductivity properties in themselves - as I understand it. Their main benefit is stopping those agents of oxydation, air/water/dirt/etc', getting between the joining surfaces of your rails and fish plates and stopping those vital electrons flowing freely due the the resulting oxydation/tarnishing that would happen without.

I have had my line down in the garden for 12 years now with no electrical conductivity problems. That's down to careful preparation of the rail joints, as you are doing and with the addition of that "paste", and the judicious use of rail clamps at most joints. The rail clamps are not just there to ensure good electrical flow but they can help too.

All that is needed then at the start of each season's operation, and sometimes periodically throughout, is the treatment of the rail head - Which I think is were Tac was driving at. Max
 
maxi-model said:
Green deposit is verdigris. A natural "byproduct" of the process you are using to remove the tarnish on you brass rail (brass - alloy made from copper/zinc mix). Take a look here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verdigris Max

P.S. Tac I think what Sahra is doing is prepping the rail ends and fish plates for an application of graphite/"Coppergrease" paste to inhibit future oxidation to ensure long term electrical conductivity between track/rail sections.
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Ah, right. Fair enough - when I was putting my now sixteen-y/o track together it was all new, and I slapped on the grease and then applied a couple of hundred or so Split-Jaw rail joiners. Never touched 'em since then .

tac
 
The 'copper grease' has a brand name of 'Copaslip'..
A 100g tube will last you forever! - You need about 'half a pea' (the vegetable) per joint..
 
You can search for "copper grease" on Halfords site. It notes there that it may be supplied under different brand names than their own brand shown. Mine, bought from Halfords supplied under the "Carlube" brand. Disclaimer - other brands are available :) Max
 
PhilP said:
The 'copper grease' has a brand name of 'Copaslip'..
A 100g tube will last you forever! - You need about 'half a pea' (the vegetable) per joint..
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Or sometimes "Coppercote" lots of trade name.
Word of warning, it can be messy and seems to get everywhere, try to keep the work area where you use it clean!!
 
i dipped all my track in brick acid,,,,for a few hours to overnight,,, then let it sit in a water bath for a few hours and then quick rinse with a hose and let dry,,,

quickest and easiest way to remove tarnish and dirt,,, to look almost new,,,

gloves and goggles must be worn but if you have over 500 ft in curves and straights to clean you dont want to be messing around time wise,,, its very quick,,,, and very very thorough,,,

it is a strong acid and eye protection is a given,,, does burn your skin but just wash it of straight away and your good to go,,,
 
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