What is the use of track cleaning loco?

I clean by hand after a long layoff but then use the LGB track cleaner loco to keep the railhead fresh.
I do add a weight onto the platform at the front of the 'cleaning' part of the loco to give some extra force for the abrasive wheels.
Although I have some pretty steep inclines on my layout (up to 1:10), the loco happily goes around. About four passes gives a nice non- tiger-stripe effect.
BUT
I do do all of the points (switches) by hand as the cleaning loco can not really do a full job on some parts of the point rail parts due to the possible extra height of plastic frog etc.

It is not advisable to use the rail cleaning loco on wet track as the gunge will gum up the abrasive wheels.
 
From personal experience, and that gleaned of others on here and other places, the best way to keep track clean is run trains regularly. Several times a week, that is. The pickup shoes on most G scale locos do a good job of scraping the top surface enough to maintain good conductivity.

ROSS said:
.....its been asked why people leave GSC and go to other fields....... (see Mike's last line above..........)
Now you know.
::)
Click to expand...

Actually, the petty-minded wallys do quite a good job as well.
 
I have a G Scale MRR in the second floor of my barn. It has approximately 175 feet of LGB track with 4 turnouts. Since it's inside it doesn't get too corroded but it does get a lot of dust. I have an Aristo-Craft Maintenance of Way Caboose with the track cleaning stone underneath. I run that on one train consistently and the track is always clean. I liked it so much that I copied the track cleaning unit and installed it on two other Aristo-Craft two axle cars which are built to accept the track cleaning attachment. One is a box car and the other is a tank car. Since I didn't have the original cleaning stones and new Aristo-Craft units proved impossible to locate, I substituted two pads made from dry-wall sanding cloths. As the Brits among us would say, they work a treat!.

The track cleaning cars are especially nice for keeping the track clean inside of a 4 foot tunnel that I recently added. With the track clean, all that is necessary is to blow out the dust with compressed air now and then.

I do try to get off my "arse" and check the track now and then though, so maybe that will ward off some abuse. LOL. ;D

This is the car that I bought on eBay about two years ago. I haven't got an LGB track cleaning car so I have no basis for comparison. This one works quite well, however.

Aristo%20Craft%20Track%20Cleaning%20Car%202_zpslpkavulj.jpg


Aristo%20Craft%20Track%20Cleaning%20Car%2010_zpsrz7ab61c.jpg
 
I used to have a 2nd hand LGB track cleaning loco for 3 years but it did not work for me as 50% of my line is in permanent shade and never dries out properly. Sold it on, thankfully not at a loss.

On a similar theme to the above. Based on an Aristocraft 20 ft gondola. Fitted LGB "springy leg" track cleaning thingies. Do a once around at the start of the year with my abrasive pad on a stick then drop this little thing into a consist of US NG stock to do mid-session clean. Also double duty as match wagon and scale speedo` and odometer.

Have another one based on an Accucraft W&L 5 plank wagon run with my UK and Colonial outline stuff. Max

multi purpose gon 001.JPG

multi purpose gon 002.JPG

multi purpose gon 003.JPG

P.S. If you are not up for a bit of track cleaning then you might have picked the wrong branch of the hobby :)
 
to the OP
the use?

well, they work
(not as well as the block)
but they work
and they are fun to watch
I think of them as a power tool, or, a better analogy like sliced bread.

granted if after several winter months the track is filthy, one may need to shine up a small spot,
one may need several passes to get to bright shine

imho they are convenient -that's all
and
since I run some FRR locos, which are light, shiny clean track makes them run really well, even on points
actually after decades....I find really clean track, and track clamps, makes my analog life much better.
and
using the loco is an easy decision to go from 'pretty clean' to really clean, than me going round with the block.

they don't work well on wet track
they should never be left unattended

I would replace mine in a minute even at marklin prices. I like it that much
 
You know I think the comment in line 6 above is what it's all about -
and they are fun to watch

And that's what it's really all about....having fun. If your having fun then it's worth I reckon :D
 
I didn't appreciate my track cleaning loco until I switched from analogue to digital; the difference in performance was amazing! I agree that for really dirty track after a long stand - down you can't beat the cleaning block , but for cleaning track then on the TCL is the tool for me; I too would replace it like a shot, if the need arose. Points, however, are always cleaned with the block, with a little WD40 applied at key places. (And anyway, how else would I clean the track in the tunnel that runs under my house, from the back garden to the front! )
 
Running the track cleaning train was sometimes as much running as I had time for so I gave it some yellow wagons to pull. I would agree that it's better on dcc
 
To back up one of SteveDenver's points, you really cannot afford to leave one unattended. A certain law will ensure that the moment your back is turned it will get stuck on something and those cleaning wheels will carry on turning, slowly grinding away at the railhead in one spot leaving a lovely pair of indentations. Don't ask how I know ;)
 
nicebutdim said:
To back up one of SteveDenver's points, you really cannot afford to leave one unattended. A certain law will ensure that the moment your back is turned it will get stuck on something and those cleaning wheels will carry on turning, slowly grinding away at the railhead in one spot leaving a lovely pair of indentations. Don't ask how I know ;)
Click to expand...
You got that right, Ruschbahn had plenty of Aristo Points with well ground Frogs. Sadly it was thought OK to set the beast off round the 'Back' without supervision.

Never mind, the running was barely effected.
JonD
 
Such dire warnings as above always put me in mind of this!
gouged-track.jpg
 
The 'prototype for everything' department. ;)
 
the cleaninig wheels carnt damage the track.. the foam is harder than the dirt, but softer than the brass.. however..the driving wheels are stronger than brass.. just like any lgb loco, so they will wear out the track.. i too have a "test" track that has groves in it.. a mate left a rhb railbus parked up ..in a sideing one night, annd whent to bed.. apaperntly, the lgb nomes turned the power on again, and left it running against a buffer..all night.....new track was reaquired, and a lot of wear on the wheels.. dam them lgb nomes
 
Believe me, if left in one place even for a short period of time the cleaning wheels will damage the track, I talk from experience.
 
I too have had an instance when I was trying to do too many jobs at once and took my eye off the track cleaning loco for a moment - yes, two nice divots under the cleaning wheels where the loco's progress was halted by debris on the line! Lesson learned!
 
The cleaning wheels look to me as if they're impregnated with abrasive particles just like the good old track rubbers many of us will know from the small scales. I'd expect exceptionally concentrated use in one spot over an unusual period (ie. when it gets stuck!) is likely to cause noticeable wear, as borne out by peoples' experiences above.
 
they will indeed make a slight divot if stalled

and

I too, like the others that clearly have first hand experience with the loco,

know this
 
Whilst it's essential to keep the track relatively clean when utilising track power and keeping it clean, by whatever method, is the price of operating an outdoor railway, it's equally important to keep the pickup wheels and pickup skates clean for reliable operation. Since the OP seems to have some trouble with a stalling Stainz, which is usually difficult to achieve, how far are the reported problems arising from poor pickup on the locomotive?

How do most folks keep their loco and rolling stock wheels clean? I favour the laborious dampened kitchen-roll sheet over index finger whilst rotating the opposite wheel with free fingers on other hand. Ball-bearing wheels require a higher level of dexterity ;).
 
It's already been suggested in either this thread or one of the others that Mobi's Stainz probably needs its pickups checked if it's stalling to the extent reported.

As for wheel cleaning, my approach is:

Powered loco wheels treads and backs usually cleaned with a brass burnishing pen, with the loco on its back and power applied to spin the wheels at about half speed. For really stubborn dirt I sometimes switch to a fibreglass pen which is more effective, but of course being very careful to avoid getting the irritating particles in fingers/eyes/loco mechanism.

For unpowered free-spinning wheels I use a brass burnishing wheel in a mini-drill at low-ish speed. Held slightly off parallel with the wheel tread, this method spins the wheel and cleans it nicely.

Loco skates are cleaned with either the brass pen or brass wheel, whichever is to hand.
 
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