I think there are several good choices. Like I said earlier in the thread I used Labelle's #105 Track Conditioner and my track cleaning went from every few days to several months.
Hello. I think, that any monomolecular oxide layer on rails can be easily electrically disrupts. It is so thin! Also i think, that the main reason of nonstable electric pickup - is usual dust and dirt. It's non monomolecular one, and it cannot be easily electrically disrupted! ------ Vadim
I agree with your Vadimav post, but unless an abrasive is used on the rails, the coating is very long lasting. Dust is the major source of disruption. On my previous layout, wiping the track with a soft rag was all that was needed for the three years that the layout was in operation after the application. But the real help for me was the roundhouse tracks. Dust wasn't the issue, oxidation was the culprit. There, the compound provided consistent operation. I have no affiliation with who ever makes or sells the product, just posting what has worked for me.
You clean your track to keep your wheels clean and clean your wheels to keep your track clean. It’s the Ouroboros of model railroading. Track shouldn’t oxidize that quickly so something else is causing your problem. I’ve had good results with this product http://www.jimsmodeltrains.com/-strse-540/ACT-Track-&-Rail/Detail.bok the bottle states it is “Practically nontoxic” so it is also useful as a mixer with Gin or Scotch. Just kidding about that last part.
Agree! Abrasiving and sanding can fastly affect on turnout's wiskers and also make rails extremely porous for dirt, which can lead for faster further dirtification! Therefore i only polish and vacuum my layout. For example, i have a lot of tunnels where only machine cleaning can take place. (Tomix, Lux vacuumers). This machines can remove dirts but not at all! Therefore usual "factory default" (w/o instaling springing and powerpacks) locos cannot run with some stalling at this tunnels. Obviously - Another general solution - Install a power-packs attached to locodecoders and more best - using of Lenz "Read-through" locodecoders, which can read DCC even loco stays near rails not at rails itself (works as radio). Loco, even staying at dirt without pickup, will receive command and ll fulfill it, charging power pack at moment of touching clean parts of rails! This is serious breakthrough for extremely dependability and/or for very dirty layouts, placed at extremely hymid rooms ... etc. ------- Vadim.
Automatic Transmission Fluid At the Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers Layout (Washington State History Museum), we've been using ATF for about two years now (you may have caught my article in MR in the May issue). The comparison to a leaky transmission isn't really valid. The amount of transmission fluid used on our layout is pretty small and the environment a transmission is exposed to is pretty significantly more dirty than most layouts. We have five trains running automatically throughout each day the museum is open. Once a week, a total of 5 drops are painted in 5 places on the layout. When we have Ops Sessions, we use a little more on infrequently used tracks, or to improve the operations of one or two balky locomotives. The only issue related to gunk build up is on older Atlas turnouts with the pot metal frogs. They appear to attract the gunk more than any other location. So we clean those as needed with alcohol. The ATF works in harmony with the oxidation, thinning out the gunk build up on wheels, allowing more contact with the rails. We do occasionally clean locomotive wheels with alcohol, but not on a regular basis. All cleaning devices have been removed from the trains (i.e. cratex rollers, Masonite draggers, etc.) The key is to start out with a small amount and add more until you find the right amount for your layout. There is a certain amount of traction loss, so the smallest amount that keeps the layout running well is the way to go.
ATF is nothing more than a light weight nonfoaming detergent oil. A petroleum base oil would cause a lot of arcing on joints, a synthetic oil would be better. I really can't believe people would do this, but it there equipment!
In other words, use of ATF does NOT "clean" track. Any gunk which originally caused loss of conductivity is all still there- Spread along rails and on wheels. Using the word "clean" in referencing the process is misleading. Actual cleaning requires physically removing the offending residue. This does not happen. Boxcab E50
I didn't read through the thread to see if it had been mentioned, but you could always 'gleam' your track. I have met a number of people in HO who absolutely swear by gleaming, but I have never read any kind of a long-term analysis. It'd be nice to hear from people who gleamed their layouts 1-2 years ago, and how its holding up now.
That’s interesting about the ATF, but it sounds like too much maintenance for me.biggrin: Any way, we were recently cleaning our shop, packing up all the old chemicals and paint cans for disposal at my work and I noticed an unopened 1 pint can of NO-OX-ID “A Special” in a box marked for disposal. Is this the same stuff as the NO-OX mentioned here? I put it to the side just in case I may be able to use it. Nobody knows where it came from or what it was for, but we are guessing a subcontractor may have left it behind after some electrical installation.
I'm glad to hear your results, Flash. I've gleamed part of my track and wasn't looking foward to gleaming the rest!
Also check your connections/joints to make sure they are not loose. I also had this issue that my locos would stall in one spot on my layout and after I cleaned the track they would run ok but after I discovered that my joints where a little loose and I tighten them up I never had to clean the track for traction I still clean the track. I also use code 80 track and I clean my track once or twice a month and I had my layout set up for about three yrs now and I can run trains very consistent no stalling or any other issues so I can't complain about code 80 track. I use balsa wood to clean my track since its soft it won't harm or damage the track like some harsh chemicals.
Yes , Johnny. Its the same stuff. Even if there is just a smudge left there is enough for many years of treatments. By the way I do "Gleam my track before applying the no-ox. I have read of few people that feel it necessary to "Gleam" first but I thought it would only add to the effects. Why? The Gleam method polishes the rails to eliminate the very tiny scratches and grooves that gunk can accumulate in and cause issues later. Whatever you do do not skip the stainless steel washer step to help find inconsistencies in track work that may have been missed. Also when adding a little pressure on the washer you will burnish the rails to a solid, no scratch surface. By the way as mentioned before no-ox does not protect the rails from dirt or dust so you will still have to wipe or vacuum the rails, especially after the layout has not been run for a while. No-ox is not perfect.
Alright thanks, I’m going to use to use this and I will do the gleam method as well. It’s a pint and I’ll never be able to use it up unless I can find other uses for it. I might find some smaller containers and give some away.
So agree with John. No-Ox is only part of good conducting rail. My trusty little Coleman cordless vacuum is part of all operating sessions, as are the wipe downs with a cloth. Thanks so much for the tips posted in this thread. The burnishing has done wonders the rail joint noise on my layout. Thanks again John. Robert
I guy that put me on to it did just that. The tubes from the electrical supply shops are huge so he would but a spoonful in a ziplock and send it off to anyone interested. I bought a cannister as my freemoN club uses it and we are growing new modules every year. I also use it on any kind of pick up contacts. Keep in mind the many possible uses of no-ox as the Navy used it on many applications. I used it on my car batteries, but its only been a couple years since I replaced mine so nothing to report yet. Think about corrosion and where it could happen and put it to use. Do you have a boat? To give you an idea on how much to use per approx. 10' of track, rub your thumb and middle finger together and note the texture. Then rub a thin layer of no-ox onto your finger and compare. You should still be able to feel a slight texture but it should be slippery.
No-ox sounds great for boats, battery connections, cables, ect., but I treat my model railroad like I would electronic connections. Thats why I use a product made for electronics. The Boeing Company, Bose, General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Honeywell, Rane, Tektronix, Xerox, and many more use Crag products to protect connectors for oxidation.
I also found a partial can of CAIG DeoxIT. It is a spray can, but I thought I could spray it onto a rag to apply. Maybe I can use it in combination with the no-ox.
No more track cleaning....ALMOST About 3 years ago I came across an article about a product called No-Ox. It is Anti-Oxidant grease and it is a conductive agent and prevents oxidization. I took some advice from this article and bought some NO-OX to experiment with it, on the rails of my home layout. I went on line and purchased my NO-OX from SANCHEM, INC They are in Chicago ILL. 60616 The product # is, NO-OX-ID "A Special" #R-3266L1 (an 8oz tube is about $8.00 but will last you a lifetime) I was amazed at the results and in fact, I have cleaned the track on my home layout only once in 12 months after applying it. It comes in an 8oz tube but you only need a tiny amount to do a layout. What my club did and I did on my own layout, was to smear some on to the pad of a Roco Cleaning Car and just drag it around all your tracks behind a locomotive or two.. Alternatively you could just smear a dab on to a hard felt pad and do it by hand. NO-OX looks and feels like grease and if you put too much on it may cause some loco slipping so make sure you use it VERY sparingly. You will be amazed at the results from you engines. I also did the tracks at my club and we have had the same results. There is not a flicker from the loco headlights as they head down the tracks. Before my club started using N0-OX we had to clean the tracks every week without question. After we applied No-Ox we did not clean the tracks again for 6 months even though we ran many trains at our club every weekend. We do clean our loco wheels once in a while but this stuff works like a charm. We have only cleaned the tracks on our extensive club layout, 2 times in one year. The first thing we did was to give the tracks a complete cleaning job with alcohol on pads, then apply a very thin layer of No-Ox over all the rails. The tracks have a film of No-Ox on them but our members have all been told, "Do not, clean the tracks". You might be OK using a Bright Boy eraser type rail cleaner for a small layout but even so I would throw it away and get some NO-OX. Most of the soiling of the rails comes from dirty car wheels but the No-Ox is a great conductive agent and power to the locomotive is not affected. I believe most model railroaders are not very happy about track cleaning, as I am, so take my advice and get some No-Ox. I am sure you will be happy with the results. Dennis
Oh boy.... NO-OX-ID “A SPECIAL” is a soft grease type rust preventive, which contains a solvent for ease of application. It leaves a thick, semi-transparent, non-drying film, which retains its properties indefinitely. Metal wetting agents and selected rust inhibitors, blended with a petrolatum base, make NO-OX-ID “A SPECIAL” an economical and effective protective coating. Now...dont get me wrong...I will be using No-Ox...testimonials prove it works. BUT...how come some of the same people who rag all over anyone using clipper oil for lubing locomotives because they CLAIM (unfounded) it contains petroleum or solvent...will sing the praises of No-Ox which itself DOES contain petroleum AND solvent ? I don't know (shaking head)...Some peoples reasonings at times just baffles me !!! LOL :tb-wacky::tb-biggrin::tb-wacky::tb-biggrin: .
