Greg@mnrr
Section Hand
A short time ago, I talked to a well know modeler who's HO layout is well known and fills his entire basement. The layout has several hidden staging yards, large operating yards and hundreds of pieces of rolling stock. I remember seeing videos of his layout and his locomotives performed flawlessly. I couldn't figure out how he cleaned all that track with the rolling stock he had and given the size of his layout. He must of had some secret.
At the time I was having problems with dirty track and some poor performance of several locomotives that would periodically stall. Track cleaning with alcohol was a temporary measure and the problems returned. Using ACT 6006 did help a lot, but I still had remaining problems.
I asked the modeler what method he used to clean his track and he just remarked I don't clean my track, I run the trains and the wheels keep the track clean. I wasn't sure if he was just kidding me or if that was a true statement.
Recently, I been running long trains several times a week and even when I'm at the work bench a train will be running. Most trains had a piece or rolling stock equipped with a Dust Monkey. No problems with dirty track or the need to clean them. I did run a dry CenterLine track cleaning car behind locomotives that I've been breaking in.
Today at the work bench I inspected a six axle locomotive and its wheels were clean and ran the locomotive over an alcohol soaked pad. No dirty wheel streaks on the pad and this locomotive has been running a lot.
Maybe my problems in the past were my attempts to clean the track, but not enought time running trains. Too much emphasis was placed on track cleaning.
I do have a long spur that should see more service. On Wednesday I plan on running a track cleaning train up and down this spur line and into a small dead ended yard.
How does my experience compare with yours and does running a lot of trains actually keep the track cleaner especially on larger layouts like Montanan's, Willie's and others who have large layouts? Or, was that modeler just pulling my leg and my track will get dirty over time inspite of with frequent train operations?
Thanks.
At the time I was having problems with dirty track and some poor performance of several locomotives that would periodically stall. Track cleaning with alcohol was a temporary measure and the problems returned. Using ACT 6006 did help a lot, but I still had remaining problems.
I asked the modeler what method he used to clean his track and he just remarked I don't clean my track, I run the trains and the wheels keep the track clean. I wasn't sure if he was just kidding me or if that was a true statement.
Recently, I been running long trains several times a week and even when I'm at the work bench a train will be running. Most trains had a piece or rolling stock equipped with a Dust Monkey. No problems with dirty track or the need to clean them. I did run a dry CenterLine track cleaning car behind locomotives that I've been breaking in.
Today at the work bench I inspected a six axle locomotive and its wheels were clean and ran the locomotive over an alcohol soaked pad. No dirty wheel streaks on the pad and this locomotive has been running a lot.
Maybe my problems in the past were my attempts to clean the track, but not enought time running trains. Too much emphasis was placed on track cleaning.
I do have a long spur that should see more service. On Wednesday I plan on running a track cleaning train up and down this spur line and into a small dead ended yard.
How does my experience compare with yours and does running a lot of trains actually keep the track cleaner especially on larger layouts like Montanan's, Willie's and others who have large layouts? Or, was that modeler just pulling my leg and my track will get dirty over time inspite of with frequent train operations?
Thanks.
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