PNKFLOYD
Mikey
Short message: clean the wheels of the track cleaning car, too!
My MRR club displays the layout for about 10 weeks at a local children's museum. The 20' x 30' layout runs two loops continueously for 8-10 hours a day and we try to run the track cleaners at least once a day.
We purchased 4 new Atlas cleaning cars this year and push two cars around each loop. With a camera train running, reception indicates when the track is getting dirty.
Toward the end of my shift, I started to clean the dirty abrasive pads on the cars with alcohol on a paper towel. I got a extra large wet spot on the towel and I noticed a black spot beyond the part I was cleaning with. I ran a wet finger over a wheel and got a black streak.
All 4 cars were very dirty after 3 weeks of use. We had forgotten the cleaning cars need maintenance, too?
So, check the cleaning cars you use on your layout. You may be able to improve your cleaning operations easily.
Mikey
My MRR club displays the layout for about 10 weeks at a local children's museum. The 20' x 30' layout runs two loops continueously for 8-10 hours a day and we try to run the track cleaners at least once a day.
We purchased 4 new Atlas cleaning cars this year and push two cars around each loop. With a camera train running, reception indicates when the track is getting dirty.
Toward the end of my shift, I started to clean the dirty abrasive pads on the cars with alcohol on a paper towel. I got a extra large wet spot on the towel and I noticed a black spot beyond the part I was cleaning with. I ran a wet finger over a wheel and got a black streak.
All 4 cars were very dirty after 3 weeks of use. We had forgotten the cleaning cars need maintenance, too?
So, check the cleaning cars you use on your layout. You may be able to improve your cleaning operations easily.
Mikey