Large Scale Central

Should I build a rail sweeper or buy one?

General Discussion
#1

Prior to taking up the build challenge I was working on a track cleaning car. I have a heavy brass Centerline Products car that uses a paint roller soaked with solution to clean the track as it is towed along.

I added a deck to this car, a cab and I’m working on a tank that will drip rubbing alcohol onto the roller as it goes along. Looking at this funky car I thought it would be the perfect candidate for a rail broom/ sweeper. There is one on Ebay right now but looking at the design it seems pretty simple.

There was a recent discussion here about the merits of a rail broom with the regular brush to throw aside debris or one with sandpaper to also polish the rail. Anything that has grit on it makes me nervous if it were to derail and sit on a spot grinding away on the rail so I’m just looking for the broom feature.

The question is would I be better off building a rail broom or buying one? Has anyone built their own using parts found at a common hardware store and what is a good motor to use?

#2

I have the Reindeer pass track cleaner head that I added to a Bachmann gondola. It uses EMORY cloth, which is quite different from sandpaper! It comes with 400 grit (and I replace it with such) but you can use any grit you please (even Scotch Brite). It does a pretty good job blowing leaves away too. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#3

I just bought the broom head attachment and added to a Aristo search light car. Works great. Later RJD

#4

Two similar but different products.

The device from Reindeer pass is a large flap of abrasive material (sandpaper, emery cloth, scotchbrite)… it generates a good breeze and can abrade the tops of the rails and sand off oxidation.

The device that RJ and I have is a “broom” a bottle brush rotating, and it does a great job of sweeping between the rails, and clearing ballast above the ties. It will not remove oxidation nor will it scratch the rail heads.

In either case I would by the mechanism and put it on my car myself. The contact information for the sweeper is on my site, use the search command and search for sweeper…

https://elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=176:sweeper-car&catid=15:rolling-stock&Itemid=211

Greg

#5

The kids and I Just watched this episode This morning (Mark Found Garden Railway by Discovery/Europe from back in the day)!
We were cracking up at the track cleaner he builds…not because it’s a bad design, but my kids got a kick out of him using a Toilet Brush!

https://youtu.be/AkLZjsraahI

#6

A simple whisk, will do the job, while you walk around your railroad, fixing things and enjoying the exercise and fresh air.

The money you save will help you purchase those few cars you want to add to your fleet.

I have often considered purchasing one of the various contraptions, but I ask myself what I’ve been using during the last 25 or more years, and would I really need it in the next 25…even though I’m 77 years old this year. The bending over, and stretching to “Whisk” off the crap on the track, is good exercise, and for days that the aches and pains hit me: I just use a long handled straw broom…it works well too.

If you really think this latest gadget will make you a happier soul, and your children are not starving…go treat yourself…choose which-ever you think is the most pretty…both types will do about the same job…one might help wear the rail down faster…!!

Enjoy…

Fr.Fred

#7

Thanks for the intel gents. Once the build challenge is wrapped up I am going to dive into this by either buying a setup for my custom car or building my own.

I like what some have done on Greg’s site by making their car a dual purpose setup.

#8

I had the rotating brush unit and it got broken. I replaced it with the unit from Reindeer Pass. I run battery so I do not need much more than to clear the tracks. The Reindeer Pass did more than just clear the tracks, it removed the bird droppings. My club helps maintain a garden layout at Rosenberg, Texas. If I lower the flappers it will polish the top of the rail. We also use this at train show with our show layout. A few members of my club have gotten one of these units and are very happy. There is a video of the unit at work on our club web site www.houstonagg.com.

Jim Mitchell

#9

Yeah, the toilet brush was funny. The Downside of course is it always throws off to one side, and does not work as well near the rail heads, which is where you can foul the flanges. I skipped though the video, but it does not appear he demonstrates the unit.

Both the units here discussed work in their own right, although there are important distinctions in what they can accomplish. Since I like reliable running, clearing rocks and twigs below the rail head worked for me, although it wears the brush faster.

Also, there’s the small thing of $89 vs. $135.

I think the features of each have been pretty clearly and fairly presented.

Regards, Greg

#10

Greg Elmassian said:

Both the units here discussed work in their own right, although there are important distinctions in what they can accomplish. Since I like reliable running, clearing rocks and twigs below the rail head worked for me, although it wears the brush faster.

Also, there’s the small thing of $89 vs. $135.

I think the features of each have been pretty clearly and fairly presented.

$89 V $135 is not a small thing, that is why I’m thinking about building my own.

Presently I run my wedge plow first to push aside leaves, twigs etc… that may have fallen on the tracks since the last time trains ran. I think a rolling brush/ broom would do a better job plus it would look cool on the front of the track cleaning car I’m building.

I will explore this more when the build challenge is over.

Thanks guys.

#11

I guess $89>$135 is a small thing if you are loaded like Greg! (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#12

Actually it’s a significant difference to me, especially since I am ordering 2 more units this week. In my case, the broom better suits what I need. I am tempted to get one of the other kind, but it would be only to take to friend’s layouts, and I’m afraid I would not get it back ha ha!

Greg

#13

I couldn’t resist the note on the Ebay listing for the rail broom that said “last one” so I went ahead and bought it and wouldn’t you know it that they then went and relisted a few more but for $5 more!

Oh well.

I have installed the mechanism onto my track cleaning car but now I’m wondering if this should be powered with a battery or track power? The instructions read that it can be powered with 6-9 volts. I tried it with 6 volts and it worked pretty good but I think 9 would be better. My track power through a train engineer can go up to 20 volts so I would have to limit the urge to go faster so as not to damage the motor on the rail broom. I’m also thinking that dirty track will potentially have this stopping and starting which might not be good.

I’m leaning toward powering with a battery but can it be done using track power?

#14

9 volts better, I have a big resistor on mine and run from my DCC track voltage (rectified and not filtered). I can measure what voltage actually hits the motor.

I went outside… the track power is 24v rectified… the resistor I have drops it to 20 volts… wow I did not realize I ran that voltage! any way the unit is probably almost 10 years old and running fine, I might drop it down a bit more. wow, I thought I dropped it more.

I’d run at 16-18v myself, definitely 6-9 is too low… I’m assuming the motor is the same…

Greg

#15

I

My broom that i build run on a 12 volt battery pack that i put in the caboose. I got a front white led and 2 flashing red led at the back.

#16

I’d like to build one but, for the life of me, I can’t find a place to buy the brush.

McMaster-Carr has bottle brushes but they all have a twisted wire cores. I’m looking for a solid core that I can fit to a bearing.

Tried searching the web with various brush descriptions to no avail.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-frown.gif)

Any suggestions???

Adam

#17

Mine it is a twisted wire core and it is mount on bearing. It use a o-ring between the 2 pulley. It’s run very well. But i might change the o-ring for a chain and sprocket. That way if i forget to undo the o-ring it’s not going to stretch and brake. Look at the photo, you can see the bearing on the side.

Francois

#18

Adam go on E-BAY at Toys & hobby Model Railroads & Trains rite on the search box G SCALE BROOM KIT and you will find some. It’s where i find my broom kit. Like i told you it’s running very well And happy with it.

Franc

#19

Adam, you can make one cheaper, but it will take some time to make it as nice and adjustable as the $80 unit.

Indeed the twisted core is pressed into the ball bearings.

Mine is about 10 years old, I wear out a brush every 5 years, and I run the brush lower than the rail head, which makes it wear quickly, but really sweeps ballast and junk.

Greg

#20

I have the rail brush. Haven’t used it in years. Why? with parallel tracks it flips the debris onto the other track. Clean the other track and it flips it back again to the original track.

I found a short 6" wide mini “witches” broom works tons better. But then again, I built my layout so I can walk the right of way.

With cats and other night time varmints walking the track, the rail brush couldn’t clean off the larger rocks and stuff they leave on it, nor

all the nuts the neighborhood squirrels leave behind, nor the giant maple leaves after a wind storm.