Use the new owen technology; pyrolitic cleaning!
You can use your old timer relay to send an over-current into your layout once a day. It will definetly fry away all dirt and anything else left on -or connected to- the track!

Hi Bob I use only the Marklin Mob 2 and Märklin signal breaking module to create a automatic layout without the fuss!! If your interested in this feature I can explain further if you wish. Cheers Dan.

Yes of course

Hi Bob,

I am in Brisbane and have struggled with centre stud corrosion. After determining the cause was always the centre studs I tried using graphite to protect them whilst providing conductivity.

That by itself does not work. I run my trains on the weekends and after a humid week I had dead spots everywhere when I next ran them.

I have now bought a de-humidifer and keep things around 45-50% RH, seems to be working so far.

I understand your room is not sealed but I think unless you can control humidity then you will always have this problem.

Automatic train running may work but depending on layout design you can't auto run trains into all your sidings and turntable sheds and BW area etc.
(well I guess you could with a very advanced plan with rocrail but then if something goes wrong and your at work.... also the continual power use and wear/tear on your trains)

Well I don't know what I've done right but my layout was exposed to acidity (vinegar vapors) for a couple of years and yes the humidity gave me a lot of headaches in the winter months., since than I've sealed the garage completely + the extension of the garage had a better insulation package.
High easterly winds separated the ceiling insulation but since than I've also covered the cover plate on top of the roof (this where all the wind entered., before that I had no dust in the whole garage and it should be the same again., regarding the humidity it improved a lot over the winter month and I'll add more insulation this year., against humidity and heat in summer.

my layout is 40 years old and I'm surprised it lasted that long, some of the tracks had been changed when we altered the track system but re-used some older tracks (should have replaced the lot., we had numerous dead spots on the layout and my son eventually go rid of most of them, my old K-track wide turnouts are still troublesome with the centre lever not moving completely sideways but I've found a solution for this to lift up the lever and move it in the direction it doesn't reach the end position, this is a risky method as one can brake the contact arm of the lever and you can say goodby to the turnout and replace it with some putty to fill in the gap., also the underneath the board motor mechanism was changed to ESU servo motors and they work now perfectly, where as before there was to much play with the Märklin under board mechanism., another problem was when the power was off , it could happen the slider of the solenoid moved and could also move the tongue slightly..
I would recommend doing the insulation as thing only get worse., some of our track are down to the minimal height, just above the sleepers so any cleaning could result in not having any contact any more., another problem with the k-track used to be and still is whereas the inner track section moves forward to the tongue and when the slider goes over it, it shortens the track.

We also going to have a very close look at turning the ECoS off each time after a running session because our system works perfectly so long there is not a train in a braking section and if there is, the automatic system is floored unless you look at each individual train and make sure its in the right position, I hope it would be different if we ever go to a computer system., when you have about 60 trains running on a consecutive running order it becomes pretty hard to have the right set up for an automated system.

John