Large Scale Central

Where to clean Track

Track and Trestles
#1

Hi folks,
There are lots of discussions how to clean any track the best way. I am always amazed to learn how different folks approached that task. Like most folks i take a block with sand paper and clean the top. Since i magnified a drawing which shows where a LGB wheel eventually touches the track, it was clear to me, where to clean.

Think global Pius

here a link to the drawing:
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/ELRrSOLeNignxosFtiRSpT_ZJBHFyZ23B730wLO-64_90Hlb3M-lCFNLdFvWu7YpiN9SQfLHxkYZOwqiadnOjMaJ/WHEEL%20CONTACT.doc

#2

Using sand paper will provide a temporary shiny surface, no doubt. What it will also do is provide microscopic and not-so-microscopic scratches in the brass where dirt and other stuff can take up housekeeping, interrupting electrical continuity.

But, each to his own. I think the LGB cleaning block is the best, followed closely by a drywall sander.

OTOH, switch to battery, and you won’t have to worry about it.

The devil made me say it! I swear, I had no control over my fingers!

:lol:

#3

Heading this off before it starts.

Anyone that posts in this thread that battery/rc eliminates this problem will get my size 9’s up their backside.

#4

Too late… beatcha. :smiley:

#5
Steve Featherkile said:
Using sand paper will provide a temporary shiny surface, no doubt. What it will also do is provide microscopic and not-so-microscopic scratches in the brass where dirt and other stuff can take up housekeeping, interrupting electrical continuity.

But, each to his own. I think the LGB cleaning block is the best, followed closely by a drywall sander.

OTOH, switch to battery, and you won’t have to worry about it.

The devil made me say it! I swear, I had no control over my fingers!

:lol:


Hey Steve,
I am aware that there is different sand-paper available, i use 280 grit or higher, and i prefer any thing which is not just coated paper, i prefer cloth sheets.
Regarding the microscopic scratches: I guess it is a matter how big a magnification that microscope has, but scratches always remain when you sand, that even with the finest grit.
The LGB cleaning block is flat, and if you look at the detail 5x magnified, it should explain that theoretically it does not necessary clean where the wheel touches. Just guessing, but a cleaning block with two times 3 degree angle could eventually do a better job.

think global Pius

#6

Hi Folks,.
first shortcut to drawing was deleted, here the new one

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/MNBrSEZ0Yxc66RVjf__5iAsQHhyM_tRyBGAydGdYReYjNYwNDfdgdHb2xDI2jM9ALxes73o7xsSV6pABiXHHDw/WHEEL%20CONTACT.doc

#7

That one is not working either, PJ.
Ralph

#8

Pius,

Try linking to either a PDF file or a JPEG file; the routine with a DOC is just too crappy.

#9

If anyone , had used sandpaper to clean a low voltage electrical contact surface , anywhere that I worked as a electrican , the entire shop force would have kicked someones ass . Especially if they had to do the follow up repair of this , quick fix .

I have always thought that people in the onboard battery powered business , should consider giving away sanding blocks with sandpaper , at the conventions , maybe it could help business a bit .
chuckle chuckle

#10
Dennis Paulson said:
If anyone , had used sandpaper to clean a low voltage electrical contact surface , anywhere that I worked as a electrican , the entire shop force would have kicked someones ass . Especially if they had to do the follow up repair of this , quick fix .

I have always thought that people in the onboard battery powered business , should consider giving away sanding blocks with sandpaper , at the conventions , maybe it could help business a bit .
chuckle chuckle


Hi Dennis,
i am sure that your statement is right, but could you give us more information why the entire shop liked to kick others behind. I worked many years in Semiconductor clean rooms, it is clear why you could not use sand paper there. I could image why someone would not sand anything on a heavy populated PCB, but outdoors i would not find any reason not to sand down my track.

You wrote:I have always thought that people in the onboard battery powered business , should consider giving away sanding blocks with sandpaper at the conventions.
I think that people in the on-board battery powered business should find a battery that fits in a steam engine, a battery that has enough Amp/hr to run a two motor engine with sound for more then 30 minutes, i would see such help as more constructive.

think global Pius

by the way, does someone knows where to host a (.doc) format, pleas let me know

#11
Bob McCown said:
Heading this off before it starts.

Anyone that posts in this thread that battery/rc eliminates this problem will get my size 9’s up their backside.


Size 9?
Oh, that’s right. Dynamite comes in small packages. :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

#12

I prefer ScotchBrite, it will conform to the rail head better, comes in various “roughnesses”, is cheap, and the open weave can trap (and pull away from the rail) dirt, and other junk.

Regards, Greg

#13

Ralph Berg said:
That one is not working either, PJ. Ralph

here we go:

(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u175/Rigibahn/WheelCrossSection.jpg)

#14

Steve Featherkile said:
Using sand paper will provide a temporary shiny surface, no doubt. What it will also do is provide microscopic and not-so-microscopic scratches in the brass where dirt and other stuff can take up housekeeping, interrupting electrical continuity. But, each to his own. I think the LGB cleaning block is the best, followed closely by a drywall sander. OTOH, switch to battery, and you won’t have to worry about it. The devil made me say it! I swear, I had no control over my fingers! :lol:

Hey Steve, took me a while to get my brain thinking, but here we go. If you run a engine which has this spring loaded contacts between wheels,they tend to collect any dust particles. with in that dust you surely have sand grains which eventually work like a sand paper. So even if you try not to scratch any track surface, it still will be scratched. Here a picture of such spring loaded contacts, it is easy to see how much material was already removed by dust/sand. So, I belief that it will not hurt to sand.

(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u175/Rigibahn/100_2575.jpg)

think global Pius

#15

PJ,
I see it runs on the flange side of the top rail. Just LGB wheels, or have you looked at others also?
Ralph

#16
Bob McCown said:
Heading this off before it starts.

Anyone that posts in this thread that battery/rc eliminates this problem will get my size 9’s up their backside.


Don’t worry. A picture, or two, is worth a thousand words. :wink:

#17

Ralph Berg said:
PJ, I see it runs on the flange side of the top rail. Just LGB wheels, or have you looked at others also? Ralph

Hey Ralph, So far i measured just the LGB Wheel, but count on it every other toy train manufacturer will give any wheel this 3 Degree angle. I could image that the function for this angle is to center the Engine/car while running on straight track. real engines do not have this angle, they run wit the full surface. think global Pius

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Trier_Bahnhof_Triebachse_Baureihe_44.jpg/350px-Trier_Bahnhof_Triebachse_Baureihe_44.jpg)

#18

Various wheels have various degrees. Some are a whole lot more than 3 degrees.
the track touches the very outside of the wheel.
Or the wheel is touching only the inside edge of the track. Therefore cleaning the surface of the rail does nothing. It’s the inside edge of the track that needs the cleaning.

#19
PJ said:
Ralph Berg said:
PJ, I see it runs on the flange side of the top rail. Just LGB wheels, or have you looked at others also? Ralph
Hey Ralph, So far i measured just the LGB Wheel, but count on it every other toy train manufacturer will give any wheel this 3 Degree angle. I could image that the function for this angle is to center the Engine/car while running on straight track. real engines do not have this angle, they run wit the full surface.

think global Pius


Hey Pius, where did you learn about wheel tread geometry? I suggest you download this PDF and get reading, you will quickly learn how things work on the real railroad. If you would like a close approximation in LS size measure a Sierra Valley wheelset. :wink:

#20
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
PJ said:
Ralph Berg said:
PJ, I see it runs on the flange side of the top rail. Just LGB wheels, or have you looked at others also? Ralph
Hey Ralph, So far i measured just the LGB Wheel, but count on it every other toy train manufacturer will give any wheel this 3 Degree angle. I could image that the function for this angle is to center the Engine/car while running on straight track. real engines do not have this angle, they run wit the full surface.

think global Pius


Hey Pius, where did you learn about wheel tread geometry? I suggest you download this PDF and get reading, you will quickly learn how things work on the real railroad. If you would like a close approximation in LS size measure a Sierra Valley wheelset. :wink:

Hey HJ,
you Wrote:where did you learn about wheel tread geometry?
So far i did not claim that i am the expert, but i see your point. Maybe i should have formulated that a bit different, so no one has to correct me. Here again, In the real world, wheel profiles on a engine do not look like the ones we know from LGB or other toy trains.

Hj, by the way, your link does not work.

think global Pius