using the track cleaning loco

R

RH Prague

Central European. the station pub is Czech !!
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happy Easter everybody.

Just got my new track cleaning loco (from Modellbahn Lippe at €467, excellent). Just about to start the spring cleaning and renovation of the track. So here's my question, prompted by various comments I remember from owners in the past...

For the very first clean of the year, would you go straight with the loco? Or would you perhaps try to get the worst away with a hand cleaning block (or whatever you use), and then run the track cleaning loco?

Or some other combination?

Thanks!....
 
Take the worst away with a hand track cleaning block, otherwise you're just using up the expensive cleaning wheels. On your way round with the hand block you can apply more pressure to stubborn dirt, clear away debris and check for loose joints etc.

Save the loco for keeping things clean.

My line is at ground level so I have my cleaning block mounted on an old window cleaning tool handle, much more comfortable then crawling around!
 
As Nick says..
ALWAYS go round visually, and with a 'block' before considering the track cleaning loco.. Very much a day-to-day tool, rather than a first clean of the season.

By going round with the block, you will notice any other problems.. Check points work without ballast etc. fouling the moving rails. Visually inspect power connections to track and points (if powered) as well.
 
I use my track all year so dont have a 'first clean'. I just stick the loco out occasionally,maybe once a month, particularly if running 4 wheel pickups that day.
But dont leave it to clean alone. they can do funny things sometimes.
 
Agreed.. Basically, it's a power tool. - You wouldn't leave a grinder to its own devices.
Imagine the damage it could do if it got stuck somewhere, but the cleaning motor was still running.
 
RH Prague said:
happy Easter everybody.

Just got my new track cleaning loco (from Modellbahn Lippe at €467, excellent). Just about to start the spring cleaning and renovation of the track. So here's my question, prompted by various comments I remember from owners in the past...

For the very first clean of the year, would you go straight with the loco? Or would you perhaps try to get the worst away with a hand cleaning block (or whatever you use), and then run the track cleaning loco?

Or some other combination?

Thanks!....
Click to expand...

Yes, go straight with the track cleaning loco if you have well laid track, have checked and removed any obstructions first. Stuff like bird poo does need the cleaning block. About three times round and the tops of the track are as good as new. I see no benefit at all in doing a full manual clean first.

I do manually go over all of the points with the cleaning block.

The track cleaner tends to stall on R5 points when going at track cleaning speed. Solve that issue by inputing track power from a trailing truck.
 
You sometimes get a zebra strippy effect on the rails where the wheels bounce slightly - it doesn't matter - the track seems to be clean
 
A good modification is to reverse the connections to the cleaning motor.. That way the cleaning wheels 'drag' the loco forwards, which helps with the odd minor stall, or still dirty piece of track.
 
It sepends Phil. What you say is correct but then the wheels pull bits under the loco rather than pinging them away. I find quite large bits get shoved out of the way. Never had the grip problem here. nBut they dont clean up hill very well.
 
PhilP said:
A good modification is to reverse the connections to the cleaning motor.. That way the cleaning wheels 'drag' the loco forwards, which helps with the odd minor stall, or still dirty piece of track.
Click to expand...

I have tested with the reversed connections and the cleaning is worse, but I suppose if your layout is not flat it could help. Feeding power in from a trailing truck helps a lot to prevent any sort of stall.

For my mostly flat layout it is best not to run the cleaning motor in the wrong direction.
 
depending on weather you are runnig the 1st time this year.. if so, use a block, check track.. but if you run regually.. use the trackcleaner// i set mine off watch it onsce round..go make brew, sit and watch..
 
Cliff George said:
... I see no benefit at all in doing a full manual clean first.

I do manually go over all of the points with the cleaning block.

The track cleaner tends to stall on R5 points when going at track cleaning speed. ..
Click to expand...

This is where I find the exact opposite to Cliff: my line most definitely benefits from a full manual clean followed by using the track cleaning loco as a top-up / polish. However I don't run my line all that often these days, and I'm sure more regular/frequent running would allow me to get away with just using the cleaning loco.

I don't get any stalling problems with my cleaning loco on R3 or R5 points, but I have modified my R5's with a live frog which no doubt helps. I'm running DCC and tend to set the loco running quite slowly to get an even clean with less "stripes".

Be aware that the cleaning wheels are designed with deep flanges that lift the wheel treads clear of point frogs, so you should address those areas with the hand cleaning block as Cliff has said.

Just goes to show you'll always get differing opinions depending on folk's own experiences, the best thing to do is experiment and see what works best for you.
 
there is nothing as thorough as using the cleaning block, imho.
when I use it, once, it is much cleaner than several slow passes with the loco.

as for reversing the leads, of which I believe I was the instigator, simply, I do it for a couple of reasons and due to my own observations
first, if your track is wet, while best not to use it at all, nevertheless I have. on a grade, on wet track, the cleaning wheels have more purchase than the drivers, and the loco can stall, well actually, mine has done a rumba, in all earnest
This is not an issue on dry track however, and likely too only an issue due to my grades.

second, I find the loco tracks more smoothly through points.

the comment about flinging bits outward versus under is true, when leads are 'normal' ie opposite turn from drivers, however, I have not found any more or less dust under the loco when running reversed.

while total conjecture, I cannot help but think too that running reversed cleaning wheels must be a bit easier on the motor, yet, only slightly lessens effectiveness of cleaning.

there is an old thread which you might locate at the top of the forum section regarding replacing cleaning wheels.

the simple summary, imho, is to NEVER leave it unattended; and regularly blow out the black brass dust AND check for tiny threads of plastic which sheer away from the plastic wheel which holds the abrasive tire. these tiny threads, like tiny plastic hairs, eventually wrap around the axel and cause drag and if too much, failure. I look for an clean these every time I run the loco. I cannot recall if I have yet to replace my cleaning wheels, after years of use. they are surprisingly long wearing.

final tip, keep an eye on both the loco's headlight lenses and the roof lantern domes, as I have had mine vibrate loose, and nowadays, they are difficult to replace and very expensive-something I learned when turning my loco over to blow out the underside before going inside.....
 
Many thanks to all, splendid advice and insight as usual.

On balance looks like I will have to start with the track cleaning block. Fortunately most of my railway is at waist height. Hard work first time round but looking forward to the track cleaner taking over as we move into the season
 
Sorry to slightly hijack this thread, this is for Beavercreek; (this is in case PMs aren't working - I received email notification of your message Mike but it's not showing up in my PM inbox to let me reply?) You asked about my conversion of the LGB R5 point to live frog. The write up is here
https://www.gscalecentral.net/track-track-laying/lgb-r5-'live'-frog-conversion/.
Hope this helps?
 
Well the whole question is moot right now. I am staring out of the window at a blizzard.
 
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