Cleaning your Lionel model trains railroad tracks is a task that should be conducted when the tracks are noticeably dirty or when the train seems to stick and pause during operation. There are some methods that work well and you may want to experiment to find the one that suits you the best. The more you use your model trains, the less often you will need to clean the tracks. Conversely, with seldom used tracks, you may find you need to perform heavier-duty cleaning roughly every time you use your toy model trains.
For Ho scale trains, you can buy a track-cleaning car. You fill the car with light oil and the track-cleaning car is pulled nearby the track by the engine. Be just that you don't overfill the track cleaning car, for in doing so, oil may spill over onto the tracks or the scenery. Add oil sparingly to avoid the mess. The cars consist of a small tank with protrusions that rub on the rails, cleaning the rails as the train travels the distance of the track. The track-cleaning car can be used frequently. If you use a brass track, you may notice oxidation forming. If so, a more appropriate cleaning of the track may be necessary.
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For heavy-duty cleaning and eliminating oxidation from brass tracks, you will need a stock such as Walther's entertaining Boy. It is a hand-held cleaner that looks like a small flat eraser, measuring about 2" x 1.5". You rub the bar over the rails, allowing the grit to take off dirt, paint, and oil from your model tracks. If you have brass tracks for your toy model, this cleaner will take off most of the oxidation from the tracks. Using sandpaper or emery is not recommended as these products could leave pits in the tracks of your toy model trains.
Once you have cleaned the tracks with the bar, you will want to rub a soft cloth along the tracks to take off any residue left behind from the cleaner. Cleaning your tracks normally will keep the toy trains running smoothly, giving you more time to enjoy playing and less time cleaning.
One more cleaning selection is to use a liquid stock that is made for track cleaning. LifeLike is one such stock and can be purchased at your local hobby store. Dampen a soft cloth with the liquid and rub the tracks. Keep changing places on the cloth as you go so you are not using the same spot repeatedly. Dry the train tracks as you go. As you are cleaning, explore your track for signs of damage and fix or replace them as needed.
Once your model trains tracks are clean, you will need to perform regular maintenance to keep them that way. A stock such as Pacer Technology's Rail Zip is a good cleaner to enounce your track's cleanliness. You squeeze a drop or two on the track in a few places and let your toy model trains run for some minutes. This allows the stock to be spread fairly evenly nearby the track. Additionally, this stock will keep the wheels clean. Rail Zip will also restore the electrical conductivity by preventing and reducing sparking.
Guide to Lionel Model Trains Track Cleaning
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