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Make your own center rail (studs) cleaner. (mittelleiter, PuKos)
Joined: 29/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 75 Location: in a house
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Here is a video on how to make a center rail cleaner for those stud things. Marklin does not make one, and the Stummi forum had a lot of DIY ones, but all in german. Here is one that is really cheap - almost free - if you have a small car with a slider (pick up shoe) already on it, like the box car with the tail light. If you don't have that, pick a small car you don't mind screwing a slider onto the bottom. Then all you need is one of those clothes for cleaning your glasses. Edited by user 16 September 2013 15:58:48(UTC)
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 21 users liked this useful post by SCWHIPPLE
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petestra, Martin T, Tom Jessop, Janne75, nevw, markmann02, hennabm, DamonKelly, foumaro, Yumgui, Joseph Meiring, 3rail4life, xxup, sikardon, NZMarklinist, MikeR, klarinettmeister, BrandonVA, steventrain, aswap5, dominator
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Joined: 25/07/2001(UTC) Posts: 11,165
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Simple & effective indeed, very good idea.
You could even use other "detergents" as alcohol, lighter fluid or other... I like it since it uses a microfibre cloth which is gentle to the studs compare to paper, sandpaper and other things generally suggested... |
Juhan - "Webmaster", at your service... He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. [Old Chinese Proverb] |
 4 users liked this useful post by Webmaster
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Joined: 29/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 75 Location: in a house
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I read that someone used Goo Gone to put on a regular rail cleaner. Since I had some, I cut out two more cloths and tried it. Here are the results:  
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 1 user liked this useful post by SCWHIPPLE
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Joined: 03/07/2013(UTC) Posts: 14 Location: Athens, Greece
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Hello Incontinentia, Usefull tip. I'll try it, but before that, I'd like your comment about the passing from the turnouts. You know; the sharpness at the edges on the changing line point, creating any hooking on the cloth? Thank you in advance, Lefteris.(tournout sample)  |
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 2 users liked this useful post by elpantaso
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Joined: 29/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 75 Location: in a house
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Hi Elpantso, Yes I tried it on all switches that I have and on all radius track. I have three way switches as in your photo, and also double slip, long radius and short radius. I have all five radius C track. I did NOT try it on M track nor K track as I do not have any - except a little K track in my roundhouse. It caught on nothing at all. I did make it too wide the first time and had to cut it a little thinner so it would get under the wheels and make the car fall off. Also, congratulations on being 101 years old, and you have the same birthday as me!  Edited by user 16 July 2013 23:38:34(UTC)
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 1 user liked this useful post by SCWHIPPLE
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,277
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You can also scrape the surface with a fine file. |
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 1 user liked this useful post by Goofy
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Joined: 03/07/2013(UTC) Posts: 14 Location: Athens, Greece
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Originally Posted by: SCWHIPPLE  Hi Elpantso, Yes I tried ..................................................................... car fall off. Also, congratulations on being 101 years old, and you have the same birthday as me!  Thank you for the details. I'll try it into the next week. Isn't it nice to communicate with people in the same age?
PS (to Anders) Remember that; materials like the sandpaper clean up "drastic", but they create micro scraches on the rails, therefore time after time will wear off the wheel's rubbers (!)
See you around here guys, Lefteris. |
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,277
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Originally Posted by: elpantaso  PS (to Anders) Remember that; materials like the sandpaper clean up "drastic", but they create micro scraches on the rails, therefore time after time will wear off the wheel's rubbers (!)[/i]
See you around here guys, Lefteris.[/color]
Not really exactly... I use very fine sand paper so it´s okey do that on the rail. But you must make sure to clean up on the track with chemical gasolin. |
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Joined: 15/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,757 Location: Auckland NZ
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Originally Posted by: Goofy  Originally Posted by: elpantaso  PS (to Anders) Remember that; materials like the sandpaper clean up "drastic", but they create micro scraches on the rails, therefore time after time will wear off the wheel's rubbers (!)[/i]
See you around here guys, Lefteris.[/color]
Not really exactly... I use very fine sand paper so it´s okey do that on the rail. But you must make sure to clean up on the track with chemical gasolin. Actually Goofy, how much MRR operating do you actually do ?? The fine grooves in rails and even the M puckos, caused by filing or sandpaper, attract dirt, in fact trap it in them and the the problem becomes worse, as dirt attracts more dirt !!  . And this problem is ten times worse for two railers, of which you are a sometimes one Goofy, ? No ? So it is NOT "okey" to sand or file your rails if they are on a layout, other passive cleaning methods should be used unless you can throw the track away at some later time. Our friend here "SCWHIPPLE" has come up with a very good and inexpesive idea and system I believe,  but haven't tried it myself as yet, but I will and report back. It would team up very well with a Marklin 46042 rail cleaning wagon in the consist Trouble is my optition is a bit mean with those micrfibre cloths,  however they are commercially available |
Glen Auckland NZ
" Every Marklin layout needs a V200, a Railbus and a Banana car", not to mention a few Black and red Steamers, oh and the odd Elok !
CS1 Reloaded, Touch Cab, C Track Modules, K track layout all under construction. Currently Insider |
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,277
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Originally Posted by: NZMarklinist  Actually Goofy, how much MRR operating do you actually do ?? The fine grooves in rails and even the M puckos, caused by filing or sandpaper, attract dirt, in fact trap it in them and the the problem becomes worse, as dirt attracts more dirt !!  . And this problem is ten times worse for two railers, of which you are a sometimes one Goofy, ? No ? So it is NOT "okey" to sand or file your rails if they are on a layout, other passive cleaning methods should be used unless you can throw the track away at some later time. Factory who are producing rail does grinds and polishes the rails. That´s way rails looks shines. |
H0 DCC = Digital Command Control
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,277
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I use only very fine sand paper to clean up water glue after i did ballasted. This way is only use once!! After that i use chemical gasolin to clean my tracks. To clean stud contact i recommend by use very fine file once and that´s it! It´s pick up shoes on the locomotivs that needs to clean ofter than the tracks. Just simple use chemical gasolin to clean pick up shoes. |
H0 DCC = Digital Command Control
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Joined: 15/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,757 Location: Auckland NZ
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Originally Posted by: Goofy  Originally Posted by: NZMarklinist  Actually Goofy, how much MRR operating do you actually do ?? The fine grooves in rails and even the M puckos, caused by filing or sandpaper, attract dirt, in fact trap it in them and the the problem becomes worse, as dirt attracts more dirt !!  . And this problem is ten times worse for two railers, of which you are a sometimes one Goofy, ? No ? So it is NOT "okey" to sand or file your rails if they are on a layout, other passive cleaning methods should be used unless you can throw the track away at some later time. Factory who are producing rail does grinds and polishes the rails. That´s way rails looks shines. What Factory  ??? |
Glen Auckland NZ
" Every Marklin layout needs a V200, a Railbus and a Banana car", not to mention a few Black and red Steamers, oh and the odd Elok !
CS1 Reloaded, Touch Cab, C Track Modules, K track layout all under construction. Currently Insider |
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Joined: 02/01/2009(UTC) Posts: 1,067 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Any factory that produces rails Glen. Sometimes drawing metal(the process to turn a thick bit of metal into wire or some other shape like a model rail) can leave uneven surfaces. Although I cannot vouch for this being done at factories, grinding(like the oilstone you sharpen woodworking tools on) and polishing is one of the best ways to get a perfect flat finish. If you erode metal chemically it is more likely to leave a rough surface than polishing.
In sanding/grinding, there are different grades of finishing quality. You can do your woodwork with P80 sandpaper, but if you want a really high quality finish on a bit of metal, you can cut your bit of metal(with say, a file) first, then you grind it with some coarse-ish grinding paste, and you work your way towards finer grades of grinding paste until you reach something like Brasso, or even finer, Silvo. This stuff is nothing more than ultra fine particles that do the same as a bit of wet&dry sandpaper on a much smaller scale. Brasso would be a lot finer than most track rubbers, and there is nothing to say that it would be any worse for the track than a track rubber.
In some cases, like rusted track you have no choice but to start out with scratching the railhead with say, P800 sandpaper. It would be better in any case than the pitting caused by rust. But then you gradually work out the scratches caused by the rough sanding when you are working with progressively finer abrasives.
Cheers, Rick
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,277
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I use P400 sandpaper. But this is only once on the rail. I did also used this sandpaper on the stud contact with good results. But just only once time! |
H0 DCC = Digital Command Control
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Joined: 15/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,757 Location: Auckland NZ
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Originally Posted by: Goofy  I use P400 sandpaper. But this is only once on the rail. I did also used this sandpaper on the stud contact with good results. But just only once time! Once is enough to permanently damage them |
Glen Auckland NZ
" Every Marklin layout needs a V200, a Railbus and a Banana car", not to mention a few Black and red Steamers, oh and the odd Elok !
CS1 Reloaded, Touch Cab, C Track Modules, K track layout all under construction. Currently Insider |
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Joined: 15/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,757 Location: Auckland NZ
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Originally Posted by: kariosls37  Any factory that produces rails Glen. Sometimes drawing metal(the process to turn a thick bit of metal into wire or some other shape like a model rail) can leave uneven surfaces. Although I cannot vouch for this being done at factories, grinding(like the oilstone you sharpen woodworking tools on) and polishing is one of the best ways to get a perfect flat finish. If you erode metal chemically it is more likely to leave a rough surface than polishing.
In sanding/grinding, there are different grades of finishing quality. You can do your woodwork with P80 sandpaper, but if you want a really high quality finish on a bit of metal, you can cut your bit of metal(with say, a file) first, then you grind it with some coarse-ish grinding paste, and you work your way towards finer grades of grinding paste until you reach something like Brasso, or even finer, Silvo. This stuff is nothing more than ultra fine particles that do the same as a bit of wet&dry sandpaper on a much smaller scale. Brasso would be a lot finer than most track rubbers, and there is nothing to say that it would be any worse for the track than a track rubber.
In some cases, like rusted track you have no choice but to start out with scratching the railhead with say, P800 sandpaper. It would be better in any case than the pitting caused by rust. But then you gradually work out the scratches caused by the rough sanding when you are working with progressively finer abrasives.
Cheers, Rick Rick, the factories , or at least Marklin deliver them with a very fine polished finish, if not extruded, any sanding or grinding by users will destroy that finish and make them susceptable to attracting contaminents. If you have rusty M track, you probably don't have much choice tho This thread is about the center rail, and that is certainly compromised by sanding or filing, however I know we've all done it, but it is not ideall, or recommended for long durablity ! To reduce wear on the sliders, my Father recommended I use vaseline on them, ( saved him buying me new ones  ) in my younger years, and that gave me reliable performance from the start, of every school holidays, or when ever required, because it left a slight coating on the puckos as well ! ! I did not ever file or sand my M Tracks or puckos, in the seven or so years of ownership, and the layout was in my bedroom as a child, so was in a high moisture content atmosphere, susceptable to corosion ! |
Glen Auckland NZ
" Every Marklin layout needs a V200, a Railbus and a Banana car", not to mention a few Black and red Steamers, oh and the odd Elok !
CS1 Reloaded, Touch Cab, C Track Modules, K track layout all under construction. Currently Insider |
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Joined: 31/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 868 Location: Brazil
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Hello together! I have a good experience, in the last years, with the CMX cleaning car filled with Isopropyl alcohol. http://www.tonystrains.c...chnews/clean_machine.htmOnce a month I run the cleaning car all over the layout. No problems even on 3way or X turnouts. Regards, Walter
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,277
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Originally Posted by: NZMarklinist  Originally Posted by: Goofy  I use P400 sandpaper. But this is only once on the rail. I did also used this sandpaper on the stud contact with good results. But just only once time! Once is enough to permanently damage them Well...my trains is working very well on the tracks. |
H0 DCC = Digital Command Control
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Joined: 02/01/2009(UTC) Posts: 1,067 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Originally Posted by: NZMarklinist  Rick, the factories , or at least Marklin deliver them with a very fine polished finish, if not extruded, any sanding or grinding by users will destroy that finish and make them susceptable to attracting contaminents. If you have rusty M track, you probably don't have much choice tho This thread is about the center rail, and that is certainly compromised by sanding or filing, however I know we've all done it, but it is not ideall, or recommended for long durablity ! Glen, do you realise that polishing is a very fine form of grinding? Ask any engineer and they will tell you the same story. I suspect that the centre rail is nothing more than punched sheetmetal which has been blackened, and punching is not exactly the best way to get a really good surface finish. In any case, the centre pickup is quite long and generally does not accumulate the dirt the running rails do. This means that the weak point of the circuit will always be the running rails, because of ther smaller pickup area. You ca therefore get away with a lot more stuff than running rails, although I would consider P400 pretty coarse for cleaning the centre rail, you can probably get away with P1000 for rusted over centre rails. Cheers, Rick
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,277
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My two rail layout is still working,yet i did used fine sand paper to clean the rail. But my locomotivs with traction tyres is worse,since i did found more dust on it. I did also found some scratches on the rail in my layout. I´m sorry about my early comments!! Forget about to use fine sand paper. Use chemical gasolin or electronic cleaner like PRF 6-68 to clean the rail. My next layout will become with Marklin K tracks and this time i avoid to use sand paper. |
H0 DCC = Digital Command Control
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Make your own center rail (studs) cleaner. (mittelleiter, PuKos)
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