matthew said:
How do you go about cleaning your track John, especially running really small engines, you seem to have lots of hard to reach places.
Ah well Matthew, my approach is a little different to Gav, he doesn't have the fun with plant debris, nectar and outfall from birds I have, so track cleaning, when using track power is needed at the H&MGR. Though now most of our small stock is battery powered as I couldn't maintain suitable slow speed operation especially on our LGB field railway loco's. But as far as track cleaning goes very occasionally a LGB track cleaning block is used, the last time some 6 months ago. However most times I run, which is on average once a week, even if using battery powered stock, I go round the track and whip it down with a damp thin sponge cloth wrapped around a block of timber. This works well to clear debris, sticky stuff and bird outfall, and that seems to be enough for most times. Also all of our rolling stock has metal wheels and this does help with maintaining the track surface. An odd thing though, contrary to what a lot of folks find, is that since operating live steam in amongst our battery and track powered stock I've found it our track powered stock has run better. Perhaps it's getting that odd drop of oil Gav gives his tracks. Like so much in life and this hobby there is no one silver bullet answer to track cleaning etc as each railway's enviroment, and usage throw up different problems to overcome.
Oh and as for hard to reach places, I have a few cunning places I can walk along with care for servicing, though some stretching and bending is required - helps keep my boyishly good looking frame in shape (parts of that statement are not true :thumbdown:
)
Phew, hope that is a touch helpful
