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Not isopropyl alcohol... WHy work harder and not smarter??? In fact, NEVER use anything with alcohol in its name for cleaning your track. Get DeoxIT D5 contact cleaner ($17) or any mineral spirit with >95% purity ($10-20) and then apply a thin layer of No-OX-ID ($10). Repeat the process every 15-21 months or every 9-12 months if you live in a dusty place. Use a vacuum cleaner in the rest of the time. A bottle of contact cleaner can be used for ~200m of track. The mineral spirit and No-OX-ID will simply just expire on your shelf.

Have you tried Inox ?

Thank you good sir. I just started working on my father TT collection that sat for like 15-20 years, last time i was with him the trains were working without problems, today ( he is no longer with us unfortunately) the engine stutters on some track sectors and squeaks on some bends + sparks. I will clean the track and see if it solves the issue.

Thanks. Got my old 125 out of the loft for summer hols. Track in need of a clean...great help cheers

What colour paint is it please

This was just exactly what I needed to see and know thank you.

Great to watch an instructional that doesn’t show more of the provider than the subject.

When the locomotives start struggling to even move the tracks probably dirty. First wipe the track with a microfibre cloth. Then use a soft cotton swap and rub the rails dry then again with some alcohol. Next clean the locomotives wheels and all your rolling stocks wheels. A little dish soap in a bowl with warm water take all the trucks and wheels off the rolling stock throw them in the soapy water take a clean toothbrush and wipe all the gunk off the wheel. If you have any cars with plastic wheels I’d recommend converting them to steel wheels very easy too doo. The reason is the plastic wheels pick up so much more gunk and lay it all over the tracks rails and then the locomotives pick it all up.

Never use alcohol to clean track. Use mineral spirits.

$6 bucks for a PECO block that lasts a long time…..this was at least $2 worth of supplies……Qtips shed……..no

Simple track cleaning and it works!!! I have been running my trains for 6 years and has never cleaned my tracks. My story : After laying track I clean once with a track cleaning pad, only once. Thereafter I use ATF Automatic transmission fluid (The red one) as follows. Using ear bud dipped in ATF I apply about 300mm to each track at the highest point on my layout. My circles are 114m long, so apply less for smaller layouts. Only at one point, don’t overdue it. The loco and wagon wheels will spread the ATF onto all the tracks over a period of time. You will have no mug built-up on wheels at all. There might be a little bit of loco slippage for a short while after applying ATF but it disappears quickly. Do not wipe any oily substance off the tracks at all. I reapply the moment any loco misses a beat anywhere on the layout, usually once every 2 to 3 months. Small bonus, after 6 years my track already looks a little weathered. Train friends, I was very sceptical about this method but believe me IT WORKS. I used the MIDAS ATF Automatic transmission fluid (The red fluid one) Watch my layout in progress on You Tube czcams.com/video/7B_GW2gJ0L0/video.html

Simple and straightforward. Thank you not being another 30 minute video to say something that could be explained in minutes.

For more 'q-tips' please subscribe! hahaha

Use a 3m sanding sponge and your alcohol, and electrical contact cleaner at all joints .

IPA - detrimental, it's polar. Mineral spirits is better as it's non polar.

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Thank you for this video. I tried my Woodland Scenics wand and other suggestions but coming right down to it, using cotton swabs did the trick. No cotton residue left behind if I did not try to overuse a swab tip. The cotton tip actually squicked where there was tarnish to be removed then nothing when the track was clean. I ran a loco and where it hesitated, I put in a push pin and went back and gave those spots more time. Clear running!! Cost and time-effective.

No no no, . No-Ox-Id A Special Electrical Contact Grease, lasts for years with a thin rub on rails.......

NO! never use isopropyl alcohol. It leaves water residue on the track that oxidizes and makes your trains run crappy. Use mineral spirits or contact cleaner like DeOxit D5.

czcams.com/video/A41VpUeoW5A/video.html

White spirit.

Great way to cause ...... conductivity problems ! Cleans yes ! Electrical issues YES ! Cheers .....

very nice layout you got .Thumbs up for you .Hope you like mine diesel dave's

Nice little product! Is there a way to add custom sounds to them? Once I start my model railway I should like my Hornby Thomas to have some nice sounds.

Another thing that works really well is a graphite stick: czcams.com/video/o59W7iwre24/video.html These are available at just about any art supply store, such as Michael's or Hobby Lobby. And, they are NOT expensive. The graphite is also conductive, which is a plus for the rails and wheels.

The problem with cotton swabs is that they shed, and you can't stop them from shedding. If you're using alcohol to clean rails, use a rag or better yet fragments from an old cotton t-shirt or cotton pillowcase. No shedding that way.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Could I ask what price range, model,supplier please. K R. Dave

Never use alcohol to clean track, it leaves behind a residue. Use mineral spirits or some other pure solvent.

I clean my track with the same chemical but use a rubbing tool and a cloth, much quicker. However, this Australian guy has other thoughts on using alcohol.......... czcams.com/video/1r2L8NSxOnQ/video.html

Wouldn’t bail varnish remover work too ?

If I had to clean 130 metres of my track that way it take a year!!

Thanks! How do we do it in the woods, the city, the tunnels, etc.?

Actually Acetone works better and it won't collect more dirt as easily.

This is the most helpful video I've watch thank 😁👍

I'm developing my own system as the current systems turning circle is to large for my layout. Magnorail is a wonderful invention

Will it work on piko a track system? Because i have a cleaning car that you need to fill up with something...

1:23 oh Christ that is loud

Very informative and helpful Davie 🙂

Hi Andy - Once seen, never forgotten - that’s Magnorail. I am curating all things Magnorail on YouTUbe so have added your clip to the playlist on my channel HTTPS://WWW.CZcams.COM/USER/KLATCHCO56 - Looking forward to more insights from you - ClydeHTTPS://WWW.CZcams.COM/USER/KLATCHCO56

Thank you for this. It was very informative and very helpful indeed.

Glad it’s on tube , seen it in the fb group . Was great info .

Very interesting video for beginners like myself....Thank you.

Omg I did not know you were on CZcams I follow you on insargram

I use plain old wooden paint sticks, no chemicals. Works great!