RailPro User Group

General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Antoine L. on March 15, 2016, 10:42:05 AM

Title: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Antoine L. on March 15, 2016, 10:42:05 AM: Hi

I read on other forums that CRC 2-26 could work well to keep track conductivity.
http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/product_detail.aspx?id=02004 (http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/product_detail.aspx?id=02004)

Would it be bad to use with Railpro?
Where to buy in Canada online? I don't seem to find in Sherbrooke Qc.

Thanks.

Antoine
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: hirailer on March 15, 2016, 02:54:41 PM: CRC 2-26 product number 74085 "Duster"or the 2-26 lubricant as shown in your link, is most likely available at automotive jobbers specializing in parts and products that are sold to the automotive industry. You might try Canadian tire or other large retail stores that have a lot of automotive products.

Cheers
Mel
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: hirailer on March 15, 2016, 03:49:55 PM: To answer the second part of your question. Any kind of cleaner or lubricant used on your tracks won't affect RailPro. Railpro only uses the electricity from the tracks to power the locomotives not like DCC where command signals are also sent through the tracks making clean track a must. I find that my tracks and wheels stay cleaner with RailPro. There are a lot of track cleaning methods out there that do work quite well for a while. After a while some of these work in reverse by attracting dirt rather than removing it.

For me, I used 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper and alcohol to clean my track. Whatever works for you is OK.

Cheers
Mel
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: KPack on March 15, 2016, 04:10:37 PM: I belonged to a club a for a while that used both CRC and Goo Gone to clean tracks. Both cleaned very well, but both also seemed to collect dust and grime. The club was located in an old and somewhat dirty building, and the weather was always very hot and humid. So some of the track cleaning issues could have been due to the location of the layout itself. However, liquids tend to leave the rails wet which then attracts dust.

Many people are using graphite now and having good success with it. I haven't tried it myself yet.

-Kevin
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: William Brillinger on March 15, 2016, 04:33:49 PM: Graphite is not for cleaning, just for enhancing electrical conductivity.
I use it and it works great.

I have not needed to clean my track at all since starting to use graphite almost a year ago.
I have used a cloth to wipe some dust off the rails in a few locations, but only once so far.
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: hirailer on March 15, 2016, 05:55:50 PM: I forgot to mention that I too use graphite to enhance conductivity. It works quite well without creating a film on the track and wheels. It is not used as a cleaner.

Mel
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Antoine L. on March 16, 2016, 10:39:50 AM: So basically, graphite works best if electrical enhancement. There is nothing I hate most than a loco on slow speed suddenly stall and sound resets.

My electrical connections are all good and feeders are each 2 feet of track. So basically, I think i'll go the graphite way.

Thanks
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: nodcc4me on March 16, 2016, 11:53:21 AM: I also belong to a DCC club that was located in the damp basement of an old building. In winter, there was a large space heater that not only blew dust around but also warped the track at times. We tried everything, including graphite, to keep the rails clean but nothing had any lasting effects. Every engine I ran there had to have the wheels cleaned before using it on my layout. If I neglected to do that there would be stalling issues. The typical wheel cleaning track removes only part of the gunk. The rest needs to be scrubbed by hand. I don't use anything but a dry cloth on the track, which stays very clean.

I have also noticed that some locomotives will stall if they haven't been run in a while. Leave the sound off for a minute until the motor brushes have a chance to self-clean off oxidation.
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: KPack on March 16, 2016, 11:59:42 AM: Quote from: nodcc4me on March 16, 2016, 11:53:21 AM
I have also noticed that some locomotives will stall if they haven't been run in a while. Leave the sound off for a minute until the motor brushes have a chance to self-clean off oxidation.

That's a new one I haven't heard before. Makes sense too. I'll have to keep that in mind!

-Kevin
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: MtRR75 on August 17, 2016, 07:18:03 PM: Quote from: KPack on March 15, 2016, 04:10:37 PM
I belonged to a club a for a while that used both CRC and Goo Gone to clean tracks. Both cleaned very well, but both also seemed to collect dust and grime. The club was located in an old and somewhat dirty building, and the weather was always very hot and humid. So some of the track cleaning issues could have been due to the location of the layout itself. However, liquids tend to leave the rails wet which then attracts dust.

-Kevin

I use Goo Gone to clean my rails. Initially, I was concerned about the possibility of the rails remaining damp. But I found that in less than a half hour (maybe much sooner) the rails were perfectly dry -- I tested them by rubbing dry rags and paper towels on them. My layout is on the second floor in a partially heated and cooled room. Those with basement layouts may have different results.
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: yvesmary on August 17, 2016, 11:21:43 PM: I cleaned my entire layout using lacquer thinner with Q-tips. Then I rubbed a 2B graphite stick on the rails and my locos run nicely.

I also clean the wheels with lacquer thinner before I put any piece of equipment on the track.

Over time dust settles on everything and I'll have to dust off the rolling stock and track.

So I was wondering when I wipe off the track if that will rub off the graphite too?

Yves in Alberta
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Dean on August 18, 2016, 09:00:33 AM: I use CRC 2-26 to clean my rails using a CMX rail cleaner. This cleans the rails and improves conductivity. But I wipe the rails with a dry applicator attached to the CMX rail cleaner. Running a clean cloth over the track, it appears there is still a film of the CRC 2-26 on the rails. This process seems to be working well for me.
Never tried the graphite.
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Alan on August 18, 2016, 12:37:20 PM: The film is presumably the solids component of 2-26. Namely butyl stearic and petrolatum, both of which are waxes. The wax film left behind is the mechanism by which 2-26 prevents corrosion (wax is hydrophobic) and lubricates (wax is slippery). The remainder of the 2-26 evaporates away.

I know it is popular and I am glad it is working for you but I won't be applying wax to my rails anytime soon. CRC 2-26 being waxy and with a dielectric strength of over 50,000 volts doesn't exactly scream good for rails. 2-26 in its recommended uses is sprayed and not wiped. The petrol distillates clean components and then the waxes coat and protect. 2-26 that gets on electrical contacts (relays, brushes, etc.) is immediately worn away by contact wiping action. The remaining wax film on everything else, including contacts edges, prevents corrosion and current leakage paths.

I suspect the success of modelers using 2-26 on rails is not a result of the inherit protection component in 2-26 but rather from the cleaning ability of the petrol distillates and the mechanical abrasion of the cloth, pad, or whatever applicator. Mostly the mechanical abrasion. The wax film is not desirable on rails (dielectric) but is all but wiped away in a typical modeler track cleaning application. For proof mechanical action is extremely effective try rubbing the rails with a pencil eraser. Awesome!

CRC 2-26 datasheet: http://www.crcindustries.com/faxdocs/msds/2005.pdf (http://www.crcindustries.com/faxdocs/msds/2005.pdf)
CRC 2-26 overview: http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/product_detail.aspx?id=02005 (http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/product_detail.aspx?id=02005)

I have to side with Yves. Lacquer thinner is what I use as it is an excellent solvent for track cleaning and is 100% volatile so no residue. For instances of especially bad track condition I use my giant eraser from the dollar store.
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: G8B4Life on August 19, 2016, 07:39:17 AM: I've always wondered why we modellers must clean our tracks the way we do, so to speak.

Forgetting the reason of usually our rails carry power to run our trains and pretend our locomotives are self contained (dead rail) if I went out
tomorrow and built a model railway line and a real railway line and didn't run anything for a week both lines would be oxidised and dirty.

If I then ran a dozen or so trains on each the real railway line would be nice clean and shiny on the running surface with no other cleaning other
than running the trains themselves yet the model railway line would still be somewhat oxidised and dirty, possibly even more so. There must be
some scientific reason why.

- Tim
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Alan on August 19, 2016, 07:46:49 AM: Quote
There must be some scientific reason why.
weight
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: MtRR75 on August 19, 2016, 12:59:25 PM: Quote from: Alan on August 19, 2016, 07:46:49 AM
Quote
There must be some scientific reason why.
weight

And plastic wheels -- unless you have converted to all metal wheels.
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Dean on August 25, 2016, 06:26:14 PM: As I mentioned earlier I use CRC 2-26 to clean rails, then wiped with a clean cloth. I have been leery of using graphite as it's a lubricant and can be dirty.
So I bought two sticks of 2b graphite for testing. Still unsure about the graphite, I decided to put it on the inside of the rails on curves that are part of a 2% grade. Normally you can see and hear the trains slowing down when entering the curves on the grade. Well, maybe it's my imagination, but the trains did not slow down as much when going up the grade and around the curves. There was a definite improvement.
But, how long will it last? Will I have to reapply every week? Will there be a build up of graphite on the ties?
Still testing...
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: William Brillinger on August 25, 2016, 07:53:48 PM: The key to using graphite is to use only the tiniest amount. This way it forms a microscopic super conductive coating on the rails. It should not need to be reapplied often at all, and it should only need to be applied near the spots where you have conductivity issues. Once applied, it will work it's way all over the place as your trains spread it out.
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Alan on August 25, 2016, 08:07:37 PM: When Bill says only the tiniest amount he means it. Your goal is to create graphene on the rails. That is a 1 atom thick layer of graphite.
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Dean on August 31, 2016, 12:11:41 PM: Will the microscopic layer apply itself to the locomotive wheels as well?
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Alan on August 31, 2016, 12:38:09 PM: Graphite yes, graphene no.
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Dean on August 31, 2016, 03:29:41 PM: Quote from: Alan on August 31, 2016, 12:38:09 PM
Graphite yes, graphene no.

The wheels are the wrong metal?
Title: Re: CRC-2-26 on tracks
Post by: Alan on August 31, 2016, 08:35:00 PM: Quote
The wheels are the wrong metal?

Graphite on the rails will transfer to the wheels. It will transfer to anything it touches. Graphene on the other hand, is a single atom thick. It will likely stay on the rail. If it does transfer then there will no longer be graphene in that spot on the rail. In practical application it is unlikely you will achieve a graphene layer although that would be ideal. So for all practical purposes yes, it does transfer to the wheels.