Large Scale Central

Track Cleaning Gimmick

General Discussion
#1

Maybe not a gimmick – it does work!

Wrap an LGB “cleaning block” with 150 grit drywall sanding “mesh”

  1. The LGB block looks like a sanding block converted by LGB. Just open it by pushing in the tabs on the side;
  2. Take the mesh and wrap it around thel ower removable plastic half of the block – push the ends of the mesh into the upright
    “plastic posts” to hold it;
  3. Simply reconnect the two portions of the block – after placing in a weight (I use a flat rock);
  4. The block is now placed in one of the rolling track cars whreby the block is moved across the rails via a supporting frame and wheels. A company still sells these in an aluminum framed carrier. You could make one easily.
    I think the company is made by Joe Black in San Diego.

I push this baby around twice with a mogul. The track is clean after two/three passes. All may depend on how heavy you make the block.

Of course, sensibility reigns in the Kirkland, Washington, area whereby TOC uses radio control and battery power.

Wendell

#2

500VDC to the rails, with a polarity reverser…works like an electrostatic precipitator, and also heeps vandals off the tracks.

#3

You’re not far off! In the smaller scales, we use something called the GaugeMaster, which puts up to 800 volts for 2 microseconds when it determines that there is a speck of dirt interfering with power pickup.

The 800 volts zaps the oxidation and restors conductivity. It works. I use it in Z scale, where power pickup is everything, due to the extremely small pickup contact areas.

Regards, Greg

#4

Could we really do that for largescale Greg- Dave ? And how? Sounds interesting !

#5

Hmm. Just think… instead of the “Nudge” function, would that be the “Polk” function? Er… POKE…POKE… Sorry.

#6

I recall a high-frequency dirt blaster in the smaler scales, Lord, early 60’s?

Everybody figured the best way, by far to “jostle” a stalled loco was a rubber mallet on a string hanging from the edge of the layout.
Pick it up and smack the edge of the bench work and off it went.

You can add decoders, dirt blasters, boosters, 8GA wire feeders, track cleaning cars, and it will never run as good or reliably as on-board radio battery.

#7

Unless of course you live on the aircraft approach to an airfield .
Mike

#8
Mike Morgan said:
Unless of course you live on the aircraft approach to an airfield . Mike
In that case Mike you could always resort to the low-tech battery control method. Tethered control, like the cheap toys. Just don't let it get too far ahead of you or you'll pull it off the track :D
#9

S’pose you could go with infrared.

#10

That would mean adding a tether to a tether , Jon , you don’t think they let me wander round loose , do you ?
Mike

#11

Bryan, the GaugeMaster has a 16v ac input (to drive the high frequency 800v pulses) and a 12v input for track power, and a capacity of 1.25 amps.

As it sits, it could only be used on smaller locos, and top speed would be limited. But, I believe it would work, and it might be worth experimenting with.

Since the power to the track flows through it, it would need some redesign for more current and more voltage, but those are not serious technological hurdles.

A side effect is that the high frequency stuff might confuse some decoder equipped locos, like PWM sometimes wreaks havoc with LGB decoder-equipped locos. No big deal but a limitation.

It does not work with DCC, but they are working on this too.

Interesting thought, may have to try it out, I have 2 of them for my Z scale stuff.

Regards, Greg

#12

Thanks Greg ,I misunderstood as usual. I thought it was something you use on the tracks before running Locos !

#13

Actually, the way it works is very cool, it notices you hit a dead spot, and zaps the oxidation until conductivity is restored. I’ll have to try it on some G track, except I’m all SS now…

Regards, Greg