Wahl Clipper Oil for Track: The Verdict 2 Years on?

[TrainNut]

I don't use the Wahl oil and I don't clean track, either.

I'll bite... what's your secret Doc?

[doctorwayne]

I think that the fact that the layout room is mostly finished and used only for the layout is the biggest "secret", and, although there is a lot of non-layout stuff stored beneath the benchwork, it's seldom necessary to get at it. Room preparation included insulating and drywalling all walls, and installation of a suspended ceiling and all lighting before any tracklaying had begun. The room is in the basement, and although the floor is unfinished, I never sweep it, preferring to vacuum when cleaning is required. It also helps that there is a door on the room, and no windows or heating/cooling outlets to allow infiltration of dust. I occasionally vaccum the layout itself, too, using the brush attachment on my shop vac - of course, trains, vehicles and almost all of the details that are not scenery need to be removed.

I do have to clean track after painting the rails (usually only a one-time job, though, and it involves only a quick wipe with a dry rag) , and, when applying scenery near the track, the "wet" water spray seems to discolour the rail tops. Since I usually apply ballast and trackside scenery at the same time, that makes for another one-time cleaning operation.
I should note that the layout room door is usually open, as there is a dehumidifier running nearby - this seems to eliminate the usual "basement" odour and a fair amount of traffic in and out of the basement for other purposes keeps the air from getting stale.
One other thing: while beverages are permitted in the layout room (Rule G is not in force ), no smoking and no food of any kind is allowed and operators' hands (usually just mine) must be clean, as staging involves physically adding or removing cars to- and from the layout.

Wayne

[RobertInOntario]

I just used some last night to lubricate one of my British 00 locos that was made in the 1960s (a Dublo City of London). I either used Labelle Oil or Wahl Oil.

As usual, it seemed to make it quieter and smoother -- but one weird thing was that the loco would speed up and slow down. To compensate after it suddenly slowed down, I would turn up the speed and then, after a few seconds, it would suddenly shoot ahead. I'm confused about this hoping I didn't damage the loco (yet I've used Wahl Oil on it in the past).

Rob

[jim currie]

doc hit on the biggest culpret dirty room my layout is in a unfinished room in my shop welding, blacksmithing , auto exhaust just to name a few things that make track very dirty.
Doc do you run a lot ?


Robert if you got the oil on the windings that could affect the running but should not last long.
jim

[RobertInOntario]

... Robert if you got the oil on the windings that could affect the running but should not last long.
jim

Thanks, that's what I was thinking or hoping -- that it would eventually burn off after running it for awhile. Rob

[doctorwayne]

Doc do you run a lot ?

Not lately, Jim, although I've put in a couple of hours for the past few nights just to remove the cobwebs from the tunnels. Even when the layout sits for weeks, the trains run without hesitation, so no track cleaning has been necessary.

I was trying to recall how long the layout has been operable, and I didn't have much luck. It could be 7 or 8 years, or maybe 10 or 12. :? Certainly no more than 20, as I built the house 21 years ago and still had plenty of finishing work to do after we moved in.

I think that perhaps more running may eventually lead to more track cleaning, although DC is not as fussy as DCC - we'll see. The majority of my rolling stock is still equipped with plastic wheelsets, too - sorta gives lie to the bad rap these have received in the past.

Wayne

[jim currie]

[I think that perhaps more running may eventually lead to more track cleaning, although DC is not as fussy as DCC - we'll see. The majority of my rolling stock is still equipped with plastic wheelsets, too - sorta gives lie to the bad rap these have received in the past.

Wayne[/quote]




Wayne let me tell you about plastic wheels our modular club had a 15 day set up in a large building that had end doors that opened to let the breeze through (you know dust ect) any way we tried a experment and ran only metal wheeles on one set of tracks and plastic mix on the other and low and behold the one with just metal wheels needed cleaned two or three times a day the one that had the plastic wheels needed cleaned only at the start of that days run.so me thinks plastic wheels might not be as bad as led to belive.
jim

[doctorwayne]

......so me thinks plastic wheels might not be as bad as led to believe.
jim

It's my theory that the manufacturers of replacement wheels are the ones that started the stories about the evils of plastic wheels. It's unbelieveable how many people spend tons of money on replacing the wheels only because someone else did so. If you like the sound of the metal wheels or their appearance, fine, use them. If plastic wheels are causing some problem, replace them. Some plastic wheelsets in the past had wheels that were out-of-round, or not square to the axle, while others had poorly formed flanges that led to derailments - all good reasons to replace them. I did so, too, but used plastic wheels that a friend had given me, as he replaced all of the wheels on his freight and passenger equipment. Most of them worked just fine for me. All of this was many years before the current craze, too - he simply preferred the sound that they made.
Lots of the current cars available now come with metal wheels, and I'll certainly use them. Like the plastic ones, though almost all of them require painting, both on the front and rear faces, as well as the axles.

Wayne

[nkp_174]

Like Dr. Wayne, I do not clean my track.

In my experience, once I started adding oil, I had to do it periodically...and it was bad for me 3 or so engines with traction tires. I tend to think that all methods I've tried for cleaning the rail just ends up leaving behind a residue that ends up causing trouble. One exception would be my son's EZ-track...that stuff is constantly corroding.

I don't believe in the evils of plastic wheels. Sure, the best wheels I've ever used are without a doubt the NWSL metal wheels, but the difference isn't great enough to justify the expense to me. I do like to have some cars equipped with metal wheels, for the sound benefits. I'm glad that there are anti-plastic wheel people out there, because it causes Grandt Line's gorgeous plastic wheels to pop up on ebay from time to time...and they are cheap!!!

[Lester Perry]

A few years back I posted on the old gauge that I was trying the Wahl oil as a last resort before leaving the hobby entirely. I am still here.

[sgtcarl1]

Ah, yes!! And we're glad you are!!