Model Railway Forum

Hi Guys, just getting back into the hobby after a layoff of 4 years. I've converted my shed to a nice big dedicated space and unpacked all my Kato Unitrack. I fell in love with Unitrack as it's simply a complete system and amazing quality. I found that on the test track the loco's stuttered and stopped all round the track. Clearly the track needed cleaning after such a long time packed away. I've tried wiping down with tissue, baby wipes, copious applications of track magic and still the track, although better, is still having issues. I've ordered some alcohol wipes and a track rubber.

Have I missed a trick here or do I simply need to apply some elbow grease with the alcohol wipes and track rubber?

Track rubber and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is what you need. Did you also clean the wheels including the back of them?

Here is a very good source for IPA.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IPA-99-9-1-L ... SwzrxUsbES

Many thanks for that reply, I have just ordered some IPA and already got a track rubber on the way. I did suspect that the tried and tested remedies were always better rather than the Track Magic which didn't seem to work with the ease it seems to suggest.

I haven't done anything in the way of wheel cleaning as I have over 100 engines. I do have a Minitrix wheel cleaner so will do some work with that, probably best not to try and do it all in one go.....lol.

I'll post some updates as I go, fingers crossed for smooth running shortly.

Clean the track and try a loco. If it stutters clean the wheels.

Hopefully the IPA and track rubber will arrive soon and I'll get it started.

Walkingthedog wrote: ↑Fri Nov 16, 2018 8:24 pm Clean the track and try a loco. If it stutters clean the wheels.

Best to check all wheels (including coaches and wagons) are clean. Its pretty much a waste of time cleaning the track to then run trains with mucky wheels on it. Also its well worth replacing any plastic wheels on coaches or wagons that have with metal tyred wheels and reducing/limiting the use of locos with traction tyres. Also check the pick ups are working correctly on the locos and that they are properly oiled and the motor is clean. A loco sat in its box for some time will dry out oil wise, or the oil will flood one side of the loco or oxidisation will occur.