03-25-2009, 10:53 AM
Brakie,
I can recall a few long threads about this. There are two schools of thought it seems: cleaning is essential...and cleaning isn't. I fall into the second camp. I believe that the residue left from track cleaning (and the oils) cause the track to get dirty again rather quickly. I do agree with Kevin that other factors affect it as well. With my old HO layout, the first improvement I made was to eliminate the brass track. That decreased my trouble with keeping it clean, but I still added oil and such. Eventually, I stopped cleaning at all and found that my rail generally stayed clean enough with periodic running...and I believe that ritual cleaning usually causes more trouble than it is worth (at least in my circumstance). I still run that layout a few times per year...and never have a problem with dirty track...except when a cat pukes on it
I suspect that there are other environmental factors which affect the need (or lack there of) for cleaning.
I can recall a few long threads about this. There are two schools of thought it seems: cleaning is essential...and cleaning isn't. I fall into the second camp. I believe that the residue left from track cleaning (and the oils) cause the track to get dirty again rather quickly. I do agree with Kevin that other factors affect it as well. With my old HO layout, the first improvement I made was to eliminate the brass track. That decreased my trouble with keeping it clean, but I still added oil and such. Eventually, I stopped cleaning at all and found that my rail generally stayed clean enough with periodic running...and I believe that ritual cleaning usually causes more trouble than it is worth (at least in my circumstance). I still run that layout a few times per year...and never have a problem with dirty track...except when a cat pukes on it
I suspect that there are other environmental factors which affect the need (or lack there of) for cleaning.
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/">http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m -->