Good stuff!

Works better as a wheel cleaner!

I use it to clean wheels rather than the track it's self.  Really breaks up the gunk of wheels especially plastic wheels. (No it doesn't dissolve the plastic!)  Best remedy for cleaning track to me is still a dry method by using a soft track eraser ( Life Like #1416 or Perfect #P408GRE) as needed.  If you have areas that are hard to reach then the cleaner kit from Woodland Scenics Tidy Track is a good choice)

​Follow up wheel cleaning with Goo Gone with an alcohol cleaning as that will remove the residue left behind.

Not sure what happened to the above post!

Must have hit a wrong button!  

Goof Off

You may want to consider a product called "Goof Off". It contains acetone and xylene so it can attack some plastics. I have metal wheels so that is not a problem. I use 'Goof Off' to clean track with a cloth and the 'Centerline' track cleaner cars. I then use "Whal's" clipper oil or "CRC" 2-26 to treat the track. The build up on the the track after the clipper oil application doesn't create any problems.

I prefer Denatured Alcohol . . .

for track and wheel cleaning.

I haven't proven it, but I seem to find more dust attracted to track cleaned with Goo Gone or Goof Off, that when it is just cleaned with alcohol. Post treating seems to make it worse. These observations were made at a club layout that is in the middle of a forest with large gaps below the doors, allowing a bunch of dust inside.

I'm not a fan of abrasive cleaning.

Just use NO OX....

....and end your track cleaning chores for good! The late great Linn Wescott  only discovered the stuff back in 1957 or so and yet people still insist on fooling around with other less effective methods. It baffles me why.  There is nothing that works as well as NO OX  in my not so humble opinion!!  You do have to clean your track before applying it but once you do apply it, all your track will ever need is an occasional  dusting off or vaccuming.

Michael

Goo Gone

Careful

I operate on two layouts where the owners thought Goo Gone was a great idea.  At first.  It eventually gummed up the track rather badly in both cases, requiring major projects to clean track and wheels.

NO-OX Noah

Michael     Is their anything I should know about applying No-Ox to brand new ME Flextrack?          Bryan

Residue

My testing has found that Goo Gone is very effective as a track cleaner but it leaves a residue behind. I don't know what the long term effect of that residue is, but I suspect that it might build up over time. My testing has found that Acetone is the best cleaner, but it will affect paint and some plastics if used too profusely. Varsol and Lacquer thinner are the most effective but also much more toxic and flammable. Although Acetone is also very flammable the risk seems lower as most commercial acetones contain some water and, importantly, Acetone is much less toxic than any of these other organic solvents.

I am currently testing No-Ox and Graphite as a rail treatment. So far they seem to be equally effective although the graphite does leave the tracks a little slippery which could be a problem if you have steep grades. Just bought some metal polish today, I will give that a try and compare. Haven't been able to find a source for the CRC 2-26 that some people use, so I can't test it.

My experimenting has found nothing detrimental with using abrasives, I haven't been able to detect any difference between track that I cleaned with medium fine sandpaper and track that has only been cleaned with solvents, they both get dirty at the same rate. I have been conducting these tests for 10 months now...

Brent

CRC 2-26

Brent,

CRC 2-26 is available at Home Depot, and I suspect other box stores.

Dave

NO OX application

There is nothing that I know of that would make applying NO OX to new track any different than any other application. There is a set of instructions for proper application to track floating around on the web out there. I actually have a copy of the original article by Linn Wescott around here somewhere but being that I just demolished my old layout and am starting a new one, my "man cave" is in quite a bit of disarray right now and i can't put my hands on it.

Michael

Goo gone residue is bad for your track

Goo gone is a citrus based product and in time the residue it leaves behind will gum up your track.

I use mineral spirits because it leaves the track with a slight oil coating that reduces sparking. Alcohol, lacquer thinner and other such products leave the track bone-dry and don't inhibit microsparking, which will cause the black oxide buildup to happen more quickly.

I'm also going to try No-ox. It sounds promising. 

But I would steer clear of Goo gone. It works great at first, but eventually, you will be sorry.

Goo Gone - No Problems

I have been using Goo Gone with a Center Line track cleaning car and by hand with piano felts for stubborn areas for over 10 years and have never had a problem with residue build up.  The key is to remove dust from the rails before applying the Goo Gone.  Every October I vacuum the layout before sending the Center Line around with the Goo Gone.  I follow with another Center Line with a dry J-cloth to remove any residual Goo Gone.   Also, once a year I clean all diesel locomotive wheels with Goo Gone.  I place a rag with a light application of Goo Gone over a piece of track and apply power to the track.  One power truck is on the track to turn the wheels and the other is on the rag.  I clean the wheels on the rag and then dry them the same way on a rag without Goo Gone.  I turn the locomotive around and do the same to the other truck.  There has been much discussion about Goo Gone with many referring to the residue problem.  I have never had this problem so will continue using it - sparingly.  Perhaps my success is related to the low humidity level in the train room.  In winter, when I use the Goo Gone, it is around 30%.

Wiping off Goo Gone

Ian,

I think your success has to do with you wiping off the Goo Gone afterwards with a dry cloth. This helps to remove the residue that is left behind. I can actually feel the residue that remains after using Goo Gone, on track and when I use it to remove sticky labels, especially from plastic. I hate it when you get something home from the store and they have stuck a price sticker right on the front of the object, ruining the finish! That's why I have a bottle of Goo Gone around, but I find that I have to wash the object after using the Goo Gone to get rid of the residue.

Glad to see that you have found something that works, In my testing I did find that the Goo Gone was very effective at removing the blank gunk from track, so I think that with this added step of wiping off the residue with a dry cloth afterwards, then the use of Goo Gone can be recommended. It certainly meets many of the criteria that I would have for track cleaning: very effective, relatively non-toxic and inflammable, easily found,and reasonably priced.

Brent

"It baffles me why"

 Probably because most layouts don't need it?  Corrosion is not really a problem with modern track. The old brass stuff that Westcott used in 1957 was a lot more trouble to keep clean than our nickel silver rails. No Ox or any other treatment can't stop dust from falling on the rails so they still need to be wiped occasionally with a rag so there's really no benefit to treating the rails if the rails are not corroding anyway? Dirty rail is not corroded rail, dirty rail needs to be cleaned no matter what the surface treatment of the rail was. I've seen guys apply all kinds of crap to their rails to try and cure a mess that should never be on there in the first place.Keep the rails free of dirt and oil and no treatment will be needed, let them get coated with crud and no surface treatment will help the situation.As far as surface treatments go No Ox is pretty benign and shouldn't do any harm other than the time spent applying it but if I was having crud problems I'd look to cure it first because No Ox won't keep crud from returning to cover the rails and wheels again.............DaveBranum

Goo Goof

I agree with Bruce and Joe and Dave.  The less stuff you put on the track, the better.  And abrasive cleaning is not good in the long run.  For modern nickel silver rail, an occasional wipe with a clean cloth is all you need.

Clean your wheels on a section of track that is NOT part of your operating model RR.  This will help keep most of the crud off the operating rails.

Masonite Pads

I have used homemade masonite pad cleaners for several years with good results. My problems are mostly dust. When I haven't operated in a while (like right now), I will place one or two "cleaners" in front of the loco as it runs around the track. Usually a couple of trips is enough to get things going again. I have one bad spot with some corrosion that needs a bright boy.( It also needs to be replaced some day!) These cars can also ride along in the train if necessary; I keep them toward the front of the train because of their extra drag

I tried the centerline car w/goo gone and wasn't overly impressed. Anyone want to buy one?

Espee over Donner

PKS

The No-Ox Thread

Check the No-Ox Thread for all the info and instructions on using No-Ox: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/7169

No Ox

Be very, very Careful with Acetone

Acetone will melt most hard plastics.  Examples are: plastic buildings, freight cars, coach cars, loco cabs and housings and the ties on Atlas Flextrac.

Nylon and vinyl will not melt with Acetone, however, they will take on a dull appearance.  Peco Streamline flexible track ties will not melt when in contact with Acetone. (at least the Peco track I bought in the 1980's don't)

I clean loco wheels and plastic freight / coach wheels with "Nu-Trol" manufactured by MG Chemicals. http://www.mgchemicals.com  This spray was originally designed for cleaning wipers in potentiometers (volume controls)

I spray "Nu-Trol" a Q-tip, turn the loco up on it's back, hook up the power and hold the Q-tip against the rotating wheel(s).  I use a new Q-tip for each wheel.  The gunk and dirt come off, easily and the wheels shine like new.  Same for the plastic wheels, except I turn them by hand.  It does dry-up quickly with no residue left behind.

CAUTION: Nu-Trol is flammable.  Do not use it around an open flame or anywhere near sparks or mechanical relays while the relays are being activated.

I clean the rails with Nu-trol, by hand.  A small amount sprayed on a paper towel and rubbed along the rails.  Works great.

I also use a "Dixon Pink-N-Ink" #127 combo pencil / ink eraser.  The "blue" end of the eraser, used for erasing ink, is the end I use to clean the rails.  I vacuum the rails after using the eraser to ensure no crumbs are left behind.

I always clean new rails before soldering and, again, before installing them on my layout.

G. T.

BTW: I have used "Nu-trol" for forty years on a number of projects / repairs. etc..  It has never failed me, yet.

Goo Gone

I club I belonged to back in the '80s and '90s used Goo Gone for a short time and found that it left a sticky residue.

To the best of memory, they were using an old Ulrich cleaner car which dripped fluid from a tank on to an absorbent pad that rubbed the rails. The club also placed Masonite cleaning slider cars in most freights. In addition to the gummy residue, we have to cut back the length of trains on grades if the Goo Gone was overapplied, which it usually was.

My current club uses a CMX tank car to apply 91% isopropyl alcohol, followed by two Centerline roller cars.  There's a slider car at either end of the cleaning consist. This seems to be pretty effective. 

We still have construction going on, so any cleaner that leaves a residue isn't acceptable for us.

I tried Goo Gone.......once

I found like some others have that it left a residue.  I use alcohol in my CMX Clean Machine and then place a few very tiny drops of Wahl's Clipper Oil on the tracks around the layout.  Not much, just a drop every 10 feet or so. 

Emery boards and cardboard

I use one of the dual grit kinds found in the beauty supply section of just about any store.  I use the finest grade possible, the other side usually has a slightly rougher grit (if I can feel the grit, it's too coarse for me).  Even if you use a coarse bright boy, the fine grit will eventually smooth out the scratches to a mirror like finish (but quite not as shiny as the gleaming process, but much quicker).  It can be cut down if needed and I only use it for track cleaning; even after it's 'worn out', it still does a great job (mine is probably 5 years old).  When it gets dirty (after a minute or so), I wipe it off on my jeans and that knocks off most of the black dust.

If I do add any liquid, it's either alcohol (70% or 91%, whatever I have on hand) or a contact cleaner (which makes sense to me as wheels on rails is an electrical contact).  I don't know what exactly is in the various contact cleaners available, but since it's made for electric contact, it makes sense to use it (Goo Gone and other products, while they may work, are not formulated specifically for electrical contacts).  I don't use a rag or paper towel to apply liquids, I find they snag, and wear down and leave lint...instead, I use regular, un-printed, pieces of cardboard.  It is just rough enough to provide a scrubbing action and flat enough to not snag on points, ballast, etc.  I spray or drip a tiny bit onto a (roughly) 1" x 2" piece of cardboard and wipe it over the rails after the emery board treatment to pick up any 'dust' leftover from the emery board treatment.  When the cardboard shows the typical black streaks, I toss it out (or flip it over) and repeat.  It's just like a Masonite pad, but I also get rid of some cardboard this way.

To check if your cleaner of choice leaves a residue, put a drop on a piece of glass and let it sit overnight (or longer) and check; the carrier will evaporate and leave whatever behind.  While this much will not be left on your track, it will still show what might build up, and if it's sticky, greasy, whatever.

I don't spend any money on special products (like rail zip, or no ox), I've heard rail zip is synthetic auto trans fluid, but (even though it may work for others) I find no need for it (I have a small 2' x 12' switching layout that is easy to clean if it ever needs it.  I've learned dirt/dust will stick to a film of oil or just about any residue (after the glass test, sprinkle a bit of dust on it and see if it sticks to the place where you put the drop of cleaner); keeping the dust down will greatly reduce the need to clean the rails; a finished ceiling will help a lot and I believe carpet traps a lot of dust (even creates it by microscopic tiny fibers breaking off during normal use/vacuuming (again, leave a piece of glass on the layout somewhere and see what kind of dust falls on it over time (btw, use glass for testing, not clear plastic, as plastic may have a static charge and attract/repel dust particles and give an erroneous result).  Excessive vacuuming might stir up more dust than it sucks up, buy and use a high quality clean bag to filter out as many microscopic particles as possible.

I'm not passionate about my method for cleaning track (by all means keep doing whatever works for you) but I just wanted to share what I do, since no one else mentioned some of my methods.