track cleaning car

[davidone]

I see that WBB makes an HO track cleaning car and i would like to see it Made  for us  o gaugers. How about it WBB?

Dave

[phillyreading]

From experiance track cleaning cars in O gauge are very expensive!!
Current prices that I have seen for a track cleaning car in O gauge were close $95.00 plus shipping.

You might do better financially by making your own. There was an article about making your track cleaning car in Classic Toy Trains magazine, at least that is where I think it was, don't know what month or year.
To make a track cleaning car; you can attach a green scrubbing pad to the underside of a flatcar or a depressed center car, add some weight to the flatcar to make it hold the track better.

Lee F.

[Nathan]

 I have been trying to help the San Antonio Zoo with a loop of 3 rail 'O' that some one talked them in to for the Depot / souvenir shop where you catch the 'train ride' they have.

We have a new transformer that has made a big difference in the running of the train.  I donated it to them.

The loop runs at about 8 ft from the floor around the inside of the building.  The loop is about 20 Ft by 50 Ft.  It is not easy to get to the track to clean it.  One of the people that works there cleans the rollers on the locomotive and tender plus checks the wheels on them and the cars at least once a week.

They need a reasonable cost reliable Track Cleaning Car the the person could put behind the train and run it around several times rather then having to get a ladder and spend time hand cleaning the track. 

These people are not model railroaders, they are shop employees.  They need a commercial track cleaning car that they can get replacement cleaning pads.  I do not wish to become a vendor.  I like being retired.

Any help would be appreciated.

Nathan

[Joe Satnik]

Dear All,

Classic Toy Trains magazine articles on "track cleaning":

CLEANS UP NICE
Tidy Track Cleaning System by Woodland Scenics
by Keller, Bob 
from Classic Toy Trains September 2012  p. 74
review 

BUILD A LOW BUDGET TRACK-CLEANING CAR
An O scale truck and paint roller can help keep your rails clean
by Kent Johnson 
from Classic Toy Trains May 2010  p. 29

CHOOSING A TRACK CLEANING METHOD
Pros and cons of abrasives, hobby & mass-market liquids, and track-cleaning cars
by Riccioli, Jim 
from Classic Toy Trains October 2006  p. 54

BUILD AN O GAUGE TRACK CLEANER
Start with Lionel stock car or tank car
by Corrigan, Peter 
from Classic Toy Trains February 2003  p. 80

COLLECTIBLE CLASSICS: Lionel's No. 3927 track cleaning car
by Carp, Roger 
from Classic Toy Trains February 2003  p. 130

O GAUGE TRACK CLEANING CAR
Centerline
by Besougloff, Neil 
from Classic Toy Trains January 1999  p. 146
review

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[phillyreading]

I have a track cleaning car, bought it a few years ago when I was able to do so.
Anyway you need a very powerful engine or two engines to pull it with or one that has good traction like a magna-traction engine. Personally I don't like how it cleaned the track, not good at all and I adjusted the tension to a very high setting.

For the money a track cleaning device that looks like a large eraeser works better, it is called a "Bright Boy." It involves manual labor.

Lee F.

[coupee]

Try using strips of Masonite under a car bevel the ends .Try it