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DIY rail cleaning car

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G8B4Life:
I think most people these days that use an in-train method of cleaning the rails use some variety of commercial unit such as those made by Centerline Products and the like. That's not to say the Masonite pad under the boxcar isn't still popular but I have to admit I recall only ever seeing someone use that once in my lifetime.

For myself, if I ever find the need to have a rail cleaning vehicle I think I'd make a work train style set up, something like a rail grinder or weed sprayer train that has the sliding pads under it. The pads can be easily disguised with such a train. You can let your imagination run wild on the design and it doesn't even have to be big, Hamerlsey Iron, one of the top heavy haul railways in the world used this diminutive rail grinder train for a few decades before replacing it with a much larger unit.

https://www.westonlangford.com/images/photo/111916/

If you can find one Model Die Casting/Roundhouse many eons ago made their boxcab diesel model with a track cleaning setup. It used sandpaper pads which I would not recommend using but I'm sure something else could be substituted.

- Tim

Joel W:
"Scotchbrite" pads work well instead of Masonite, but they don't like points or frogs (they tend to snag on anything sharp).  I use then regularly in G scale.


--- Quote from: G8B4Life on February 16, 2021, 08:26:47 PM ---
That's not to say the Masonite pad under the boxcar isn't still popular but I have to admit I recall only ever seeing someone use that once in my lifetime.

For myself, if I ever find the need to have a rail cleaning vehicle I think I'd make a work train style set up, something like a rail grinder or weed sprayer train that has the sliding pads under it. The pads can be easily disguised with such a train.

If you can find one Model Die Casting/Roundhouse many eons ago made their boxcab diesel model with a track cleaning setup. It used sandpaper pads which I would not recommend using but I'm sure something else could be substituted.

- Tim

--- End quote ---

faithie999:
scotchbrite pads are a good suggestion for manual cleaning.  I built my layout with flex track that was at least 20 years old and I used some 1000 grit sandpaper to clean it up.  but I don't like the idea of sandpaper, even that fine.  I have a bunch of brown scotchbrite pads left over from a project.

Ken

Tom:
Why is no one recommending Peco PL-1?  Just asking because maybe I should not be using.

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