Track Cleaning Car

[ebtbob]

Sorry I have been away for this site for a while.   To Roger,  why five cars - I put one on each of my mainline trains so that I am constantly cleaning at least the mainlines.  Also,  when I run just track cleaning trains I usually have two of the cars on each train.

[Mryan]

Great Topic guys.

Since i am fairly new to the train hobby. I just purchased my first cleaning car. It is a light box car with the replaceable pad on the bottom. It sits under the carwith springs so it ca move with the track. What I am noticing is that my engine has trouble pulling it. Even just the engine and tender with the cleaning car. The engine seems to spin out and is having a lot of trouble pulling this cleaning car at all.

Do you think my Engine is just not powerfull enough? I have been looking at buying a new engine to test. Before i spent more money I though I would ask.

Mark

[Doneldon]

Mark-

Some of the track cleaning cars are pretty heavy. Combine that with the friction of something sliding, rather than metal wheels rolling on metal track, and it's not surprising that some locos have trouble hauling track cleaners around. So, technically, your loco isn't powerful enough to pull the cleaner. That presents you with a golden opportunity to whine about the situation until your wife suggests that you really should bite the bullet and just get a sufficiently powerful one. Then, while she's feeling compassionate and is reeling from how much better you feel now that she's told you to buy a new loco, point out that it seems a shame to run a new and powerful loco on such a small layout. Then you can bootstrap the new loco permission into an acknowledgement that you should really have a larger and more elaborate set-up.

Or, you can try to make your existing loco better able to pull the cleaner: You can add weight to your loco, either temporarily or permanently. You can use a substance called Bullfrog Snot (I'm not making this up) to increase your loco's traction. You can replace the traction tires on your loco if it had some but they have worn out or off.
                                                                                                                                                                       -- D

[jbrock27]

Mark, what make/model locomotive is giving you the trouble?

[Mryan]

Lol nice reply D. I like your thought process. Funny I have already started that process.

Jbrock I am running a 2-6-0 steam locomotive and tender from the Bachmann HO 00711 Liberty Bell Special Starter Set.

I was looking at the Canadian National #4722 - GP38-2 it's a Diesel Loco.

Mark

[jward]

you may want to look at the centerline track cleaning cars. they use rollers covers with ez wipes rather than sliding pads, so they have a lot less rolling resistance. plus, you car run the car with wet or dry rollers. with the roller soaked in track cleaning fluid or alcohol, it will dissolve much of the dirt on the rails. when the wipe gets dirty, change it to a dry one and pick up the residue from the wet roller.

I have both types of track cleaners, an I don't use the one with sliding pads much anymore.

as for the cn gp38-2, it should have more pulling power than the 2-6-0, and would be a good runner.

[BIG BEAR]

WB2002,

    I have another option. Try:  http://www.mnpinc.com/Home.htm    I have one of these in On30 it uses a Bachmann Boxcar to hold the mechanics. I do not use or recommend the sandpaper as I feel it will leave unwanted metal shavings and micro grooves in my tracks that will just make it dirty faster.

Enjoy,
Barry

[Mryan]

I did end up picking up the Canadian National #4722 - GP38-2 it's a Diesel Loco. Wow it does have a lot more pulling power and I can clean my track while improving my 2-6-0 to see if can get that one pulling better.

I will have a look at all the other cleaning options thanks for all the posts.

Mark