Cleaning your track cleaner

[Rossford Yard]

Not sure why I never thought of this before, but went on the Aztek site, and they say you can clean those rollers with soapy water and a toothbrush, rinse and use again.

I always wondered with those in particular, but any track cleaning eraser type bar, whether the black gunk you pick up is any more than the black gunk you lay down if they are as old and dirty as most I have seen?

Track cleaning last night, I decided to clean my WS track cleaning block every few minutes, as prescribed and it sure got dirty in a hurry.  Still took 2-3 wipes, if not more, until that or my finger didn't pick up that black streak when running it over the rails.

Is there a question in here?  Yes, wondering if anyone else cleans their rollers, blocks, etc. every few minutes like I did last night and earlier today?

[superchief]

Jeff, I do clean mine very so often with soap/ water, but I wipe mine down with 91% alcohol very 2-3 LAPS, since I have a long mainline with continued running connection. I run a mixture of Aztek cars, Masonite sliders, and W/S dust monkeys, and throw the centerline car in every once in a while to apply alcohol. Also every 2-3 LAPS I change from main 1 to main 2 on the double track areas and on the single track I switch to the sidings. I will do this when I am working at the computer building an op session or working at the bench, but once clean the best solution is to RUN TRAINS!!!!!!!!!! Gordon

[Rossford Yard]

Gordon,

Well, I will take that "run more trains" advice to heart!

I have a lower level staging area, and in cleaning that last night, noticed it had a lot less oxidation than the open tracks on the top level, which I noticed on my old layout, too.  That had one level, but 10 staging tracks hidden under scenery, which never got as dirty as the mainline.  That is making me wonder what the source of the black gunk is on the rails, and whether the George Selios plastic drop cloth to keep dust out between sessions (which I thought was for his structures) is also a good idea. I have the valence to hang it, if I wish.

I can also add a cleaning car or two to any train to keep at least the mainline dust free and cleaner.  On a large layout, cleaning track can be a chore.

[sp org div]

I have seen that Black Gunk build up in switch frogs on some club layouts to the point where it derails trains.   lol
I got an old scrap piece of indoor/outdoor carpet specifically kept for cleaning my Walthers Bright Boys (during and after use).  I always wondered why a clean bright boy laying around for a year or more stayed soft, but a well used one always turned into a brittle rock and broke in half before I had a chance to get much use out of it.  I have been cleaning them off similar to what the other Jeff mentioned (maybe once on each side for every 100' of track before ops), and that seems to keep them soft and flexible for a Much longer life.  My guess is that the black gunk is dust combined with oxidation causing some kind of chemical reaction? 
For the layout here, I have pulled back from all the crazy experimentation going back to the good old Bright Boy almost exclusively.  The unexposed areas need less frequent / thorough cleaning; but whether its the dust, oxidation, or a combination is a mystery...  Isn't Nickel Oxide supposed to be conductive anyhow? 
This track cleaning regimen stuff sucks...     
Jeff
http://espeeoregondivision.blogspot.com/

[peteski]

Isn't Nickel Oxide supposed to be conductive anyhow? 
This track cleaning regimen stuff sucks...     

You know, this is probably one of those old-modeler's tales.  Well, the oxide is probably conductive but nowhere near the conductivity of bare metal. I haven't done any research - just a gut feeling.  Plus it is probably not the oxide but the non-conductive oily gunk on the track which causes loss of conductivity.