Have any of you built a track sweeper by mounting a rotating brush in front of a flatcar powered by a 12V motor? I could use one to clean the leaves and debris off track.
You mean something like this
https://02e871e.netsolstores.com/rail-kleen-mounted-on-hlw-gondola-complete.aspx
I can vouch for the Reindeer Pass sweeper (link above). I mounted it on a surplus LGB motor block with a battery and speed control. The sweeper runs full speed, while the speed control controls the speed of the wheels.
Later,
K
That uses a flap of sandpaper, not a brush. The flap does generate a breeze, but does not get down into the crevices the brush does.
I personally don’t need the sandpaper, just a sweeper. I have SS rail, so no oxidation. Even if I had brass track, I’d hesitate, I like the sweeping function separate from the oxidation removal function. That’s just me.
more on this page: https://elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=176&Itemid=211
From a practical standpoint, the brush-style sweeper Greg mentions and the flap-style sweeper linked above are operationally very similar. (I’ve used both styles.) What ends up happening in fairly short order to the sanding cloth flaps is that they wear out and tear a bit over the railhead, so the flaps then do extend between the rails and there’s actually very little “abrasive” material that actually hits the tops of the rails because the flaps have torn away at that point. Because it’s a cloth-backed flap as opposed to paper, it’s still very robust even when worn down. In the photo I posted, I had just replaced the worn-out strips with new ones, so that wear isn’t evident. I have mine set to clean about 1/8" below the railhead. That will catch leaves, twigs, and large rocks that may get in the way of operations, but does not disturb the ballast. If you’re a subscriber to Garden Railways, you can go to their web site and see a video of my sweeper in action on my dad’s railroad. (This was before I mounted it on the motor block.) I thought I had shot video of the motor-block-mounted sweeper plowing through leaves on my railroad, but alas I did not. (It was reminiscent of the Tasmanian devil.)
Later,
K
Thanks for sharing your experiences with the flap unit Kevin. Your experience reinforces my take that the sandpaper wears out quickly but I never let it go to the point that it tore.
I’ll keep my SS rail and my brush that does not need frequent replacement.
Greg
Here’s my version of the Reindeer Pass unit using sandpaper.
I’ve used mine quite a bit and have noticed little to no wear. The little remote is for the purpose of turning the sweeper on and off. The little white item on top of the weight, I added, is the receiver. It is one of those $6 LED Christmas tree light controllers. It also provides speed control although the range sucks.
Doc Watson
Mine is like Don’s. It’s pretty efficient at oxidation removal and leaf blowing.
What type of sandpaper do you guys use?
Have you noticed the same thing kevin does, where the sandpaper frays enough to reach down between the rails? This I have not seen, it would seem it would have to rip at an exact notch the width of the rail head.
Again, I have no need for oxidation removal, so I am looking at it from my needs.
Greg
Greg,
It comes with 400 grit emery cloth and that is what I have been replacing it with. Sandpaper cannot be used as it shreds. I have not noticed it “notching” the emery cloth to reach deeper.
Same here as Joe noted. By lowering the sweeper, the cloth bends down at the center enough to clean twigs and leaves from between the rails. It doesn’t do a good job of removing large pieces of grit along the inside of the rails although it does blow the finer pieces away.
Doc
That makes sense to me Don. I’ve seen and played with them. What did not make sense is running the sandpaper until it frayed to exactly match the cutouts needed to get around the rails.
My brush fits around the rail head, and after ballasting, running the brush cleans and moves everything at or above the level of the ties. I’ve been using it for this and normal sweeping and clearing of flangeways for years.
So my dogged pursuit of this topic is basically to make the point that each type has it’s uses and unique advantages and disadvantages depending on what you want it to do. I would not purchase the flapper to clean away errant ballast, and I would not purchase the brush to remove oxidation from rail tops.
Either will make enough “breeze” to move leaves
Regards, Greg
I am talking about the brush style. It maybe be just me and that I am in engineering, but I have my reservations about the sandpaper style.
I also have one of the rail-kleen’s attached to a gondola. I have replaced the emery cloth with Scotchbright pads that are about 3/16" thick. The Scotchbright pads do clean the top of the rails a bit (until worn down as Kevin said the emery cloth does) but does clean the many leaves from the 2 large trees that I have. I run battery power so I do not need the rails cleaned, just the leaves and debris removed. I have been using the same pieces of Scotchbright pads for about a year.
Greg Elmassian said:
That uses a flap of sandpaper, not a brush. The flap does generate a breeze, but does not get down into the crevices the brush does.
I personally don’t need the sandpaper, just a sweeper. I have SS rail, so no oxidation. Even if I had brass track, I’d hesitate, I like the sweeping function separate from the oxidation removal function. That’s just me.
more on this page: https://elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=176&Itemid=211
I have the same brush only I mounted it on a AC search light flat car. I then use a 12 volt battery to operate the broom using on off switch. It works really well and will even brush some excess ballast out of the track if not heavy. Remember to always un do the belt that drive the broom or heat/cold will destroy it being in a streached mode all the time. Later RJD
Greg, how are you powering the brush motor?
Chassis is an old Aristo bobber caboose, and I have 2 sets of BB wheels, I believe they are the Aristo ones, picking up track power.
I originally used 2 big old rectangular gel cells from a military laptop, for weight and power, but kept killing regulator IC’s since I was using a series 3 terminal regulator.
One thing I have found, and really learned this clearly in Z scale, is that power pickup patches are small on wheels, and more weight makes the power pickup more reliable.
My sweeper is nowhere near as pretty as RJ’s so no pictures, but it surely does the job, and as I have stated, it will “dress” the ballast after a ballasting session.
Regards, Greg
Mr. Deberg:
I’m more interested in that Bachmann Wooden Ore Car in your picture…!
…do you have any more of them, surplus to your needs ?
Fred Mills
Mr. Mills you have a small confusion.
I posted the picture of the gondola on the 28th of December.
RJ quoted my post on the 3rd of January, which included that picture, and added his, which shows as a thumbnail below. RJ’s sweeper is the small thumbnail which can be clicked on.
Thus the gondola was not originally posted by RJ, nor is owned by RJ.
It’s from my web site, and that picture is an example of the “manufacturer’s” product from some years ago. (the page link is both in the original post and the quoted post)
Warmest regards, Greg (78 degrees yesterday)
Greg, and Mr.Deberg;
Sorry…I goofed…I must take reading lessons and improve my observations…!!
Fred Mills