If I get my “to do” list done this week I’m going to start cleaning my brass track. It’s been down for about six years and only used for battery/rc. Now it’s going to get power too. What do you have good luck with for cleaning dirty brass track?
I had some brass track that was pretty tarnished. It wouldn’t come clean until I took a wire wheel to it.
Ralph
Brasso on a rag? (Though cleaning up any spilled or leftover Brasso might be a chore, too.)
Gotta be less abrasive than a wire wheel.
Sincerely,
Joe Satnik
I’ve wondered about Tarnex myself
dry wall sander on a pole and the fine dry wall screen on the pad. works great and you dont have to bend over. I then use a sanding spong on the switches and a few other spots that might need it. again fine grit on the spong. I have cleaned up some real bad track this way that I got used.
Geoff has hit it on the head, I only use a Pole Sander and sometimes a Fine Sanding Sponge, no matter how tarnished the rail is , these methods seem to work well for me.
lgb track cleaning block,best i’ve found
regards
david
Since you have battery power, build or buy a cleaning car and have fun running your battery powered trains while you clean your tracks. If you have any pitting use a piece of the the fine sanding sponge on your cleaning block.
Have Fun,
Ken
Another method, in addition to the effective drywall sanding pole with the sanding 150 grit mesh:
Carefully remove the LGB rubberized impregnated pad and glue it to the aluminum dry wall sanding block plate.
I use two drywall poles, both the mesh and one fitted with the LGB pad. The LGB is walked around the layout up to two weeks after the mesh application and cleans easily with less scratching.
Wendell
When I dont use the RR for a while or after a lot of rain Iusethe pole sander with the super fine pad. Everydy typical cleaning I use the pole sander with a green scotch brite pad. Works great
We buy scotch brites in large packages and they are stored 10 feet from the train bench…and a few just “migrated” to the workbench!
I want my track as gnarly as possible, so I don’t have to put down sand. Usually, I just try to get the big rocks off the track after a rain. Oh, wait this is not a battery operation thread… sorry.
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Since Steve is stirring it up -
I don’t clean brass track outside, because I don’t have any 
Running track power on SS rail - 5+ years outside in Northeast USA for over 5 years cleaned with nothing more abrasive than a cotton cloth.
Steve Featherkile said:You do know battery is a felony, right? :P
Oh, wait this is not a battery operation thread ... sorry.
I use the drywall sander on a pole too. I can clean 300 feet of track in just a few minutes. I was also down to one or two cleanings a year. Or I would do a real quick cleaning before company came over to see the trains running. My brass rail is perfectly weathered too. It’s been out there for over 11 years now.
Jon.
We use scotchbrite pads at the Botanic.
Tom-
Of the Scotchbrite pads, the colors indicate degree of “grit” – what do you use?
For only 12 years now , here , we just couple a AC trackcleaning car to the train and it goes with the train , its like KISS Technology, and when the pad gets dirty , wipe off with a damp paper towel , repeat operation with the train . How much simpler and less effort do you need , other than battery power and no track cleaning ? and if the AC track cleaner car is too small for you , put a Bachmann 4 wheel caboose body on it for a bigger size …
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/dennispaulson/MYbachtrackcleaner.JPG)
or , you can make on AC TC car into a flatcar , and 2 more AC TC cars into cabooses , and make one AC TC car too a larger scale with a Bachmann 4 wheel caboose shell on it , and if you are in a hurry , pull all 4 trackcleaning cars around in a train at the same time , and get-er-done !
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/dennispaulson/4ACtrackcleaners.JPG)
I salute the " LGB diggle vally track maintance train "
which really gets the job done ! WOW !