Model Railway Forum

Hi Everyone,
I've been cleaning my track with IPA using a soft cotton cloth and this works fine, but I am rather sick to death of this tiresome job. I also tend to knock over a lot of my scenic features as I'm doing it - like a hurricane has blown through the layout

Does anybody have any advice or recommendations regarding track cleaning locomotives or wagons? Do they really work? Has anybody successfully made their own? Can you use IPA in them or do you have to buy ludicously expensive brands of cleaning fluids?

Many thanks in advance, Ian Alan.

I reckon the Sharge track cleaner is probably the best and it uses IPA, however, why do you have to often clean your track?
I think I cleaned all mine about once year plus the occasional dirty spot. Better to keep the wheels clean and if you have any, get rid of plastic wheels.

EDIT: I see on another thread that you have Triang track which is steel, very prone to get dirty.

Thank you WTD. I'll give some consideration to the Sharge cleaner.

I've only got the Triang track on about one quarter of the layout, and I find that all of the track gets dirty. I think that your suggestion regarding cleaning the wheels more often is a good one and may be the way forward. I changed all the wheels from plastic to metal about five years ago, but I can't remember when I last cleaned any. I'll get the IPA out tomorrow.

Many thanks again, Ian Alan

I looked at the Sharge track cleaning locomotive, and it looks good - very robust. However, I then read in a review that there is a tendency for fibres from the cleaning pad to get caught on and wrap around the wheel axles. I wonder if any MRF readers have experienced this with any track cleaning locomotives or wagons. It's not something I had thought about previously.

I have the Sharge cleaner - no issues at all. Certainly not seen the wrapping problem you have described.

I had a Sharge and never had any problems with it. I would imagine if you had sharp edges where rails joined they might unpick fibres but not enough to wrap around axles. Mine worked a treat.It did take a while to get the IPA drip feed working correctly. First couple of times the pad was a bit too wet.

Years ago Orbit made a track cleaner to fit into Lima bogie diesels. I wonder if it was any good?

I have the CMX rail cleaning tanker wagon (its like the Sharge one). Filled with 99.9% strength IPA (Isopropanol Alcohol). Its pushed in front of a large loco thereby cleaning the rail before the loco gets to that section.

Only once has the cleaning pad - a Corduroy strip, failed and that was because it got tangle in a longer than needed point motor drive pin - Pin was quickly reduced with my side cutters.

Thank you for your replies Brian, Steve M, WTD and MG. I respect your opinions, so perhaps the Sharge cleaner is the way to go.

When I was reading up about it, the Sharge website said that it doesn't use pure IPA because this could damage the exterior parts of the wagon, but uses diluted IPA instead (67% IPA if my memory is correct). I assume that it's diluted with plain old tap water, and not some fancy - and expensive - bottled water. Could anyone tell me if my assumption is correct? Thanks in advance, Ian

Ian, yes the use of neat IPA will, if it spills from the top adjuster, strip the paint on the wagon reservoir - been there, done that, got the T-shirt. TBH, I don’t care as long as the track gets cleaned.