I see you used weights, ave you considered using springs?

Stogie

Having used these type of cars for years, I can tell you that the weights work, and you don't need springs.  The springs have to push against something.  When you add springs, you still have to add weights behind the springs.  But, gravity is all the force provider we really need here.  F=mg:   g is gravity, m is the weights

One thing that Mike Ruby mentioned in the middle of his excellent article that is worth emphasizing is to run your cleaning consist in front of your motive power (pushing the cleaners), thus maintaining clean wheels on the power.

If anyone tries building one of these cars, we'd like to hear about it. Please let us know - photos would be great if you do build one!

I enjoyed this article as I have been using Masonite cars for years.  My current design uses an upside down 'T' that fits into a slot cut into the chassis of an Accurail 40 foot boxcar.  The T fits loosely so it can float and adjust to the rails easily and be removed easily for cleaning.  The car can be run without the T as you would any normal boxcar.  By sprinkling a few of these cars in your fleet, you can clean your track as you operate and clean the T at your leisure.  The T is cut from some plastic railing posts and the Masonite is silicone glued to the top of the T with the rough side up.  The T is inserted into the chassis slot upside down so the rough side of the Masonite now faces downand can clean the track.  I prefer a lighter weight  cleaning pad so that I can operate normally and not need to run a special track cleaning train.  Just another way to tackle the clean track issue I suppose.  These cars are effective with DCC systems as they keep the track clean enough.

Hey your Third Quater 2009 issue was great.  With kids in college, the "Deluxe Track Cleaning Slider Car" was a fantastic help to me.  All I see in all the other magazines and catalogs are units that are "On Sale" for $129.99!  I found that I had all the parts need to built it here, at $0.00!  Seriously, thank you for the article, it really helped out a lot.

I've build a Track Cleaning Transfer Caboose. This works like the Centerline Car.

Wolfgang

Nice article.  I enjoyed reading it.  Glad to see that the author is from Plymouth, England.  I was born there in 1935.  Now live in Hampton Virginia.

 Hi 

I've just discovered where these comments on my article are, I get there in the end!

As Don said weight is enough, if springs were used you would still need weights to hold the car on the track against the spring pressure. 

I like the idea of the T section, it would mean more modification to the cars. I do have light weight sliders about 1" long under several other cars which are in normal service.

The car cost me nothing as well, I had all the bits except for the weights, which were off cuts from work.

I'm thinking of building a spreader around my Centerline car. As I now run it at the front of the train with the slider right behind it would look far better. To the extent I could then run it as a special during an operating session if required.

Frank, I was born here and have lived here most of my life.

The cleaning train is still doing good service, especially as I have started ballasting. I use three locos now to give more power. I send it over the track as soon as the ballast is glued (just running a paper towel over the rails first) before the glue dries. It has saved a load of work from cleaning the rails later and doesn't disturb the ballast.

Thanks for the comments, Mike

I made a similar one from a Model Railroader magazine article back in the 1980s and it has been in use at a club I belong to.

Don't remember which year the article was posted. I think, read guess, it was a John Allen idea.

I never considered adding weight but will do that now along with weights on each end of the boxcar.

The one I made has the two 6-32 flat head screws 90 degrees to the ones in the artcle.

I used a two part epoxy at the time to attach the screw heads to the masonite pad.

lex

Tired of throwing away the Masonite pads because they have gotten smooth or just caked with dirt. To bring the pads back to life and restore the non-destructive abrasive surface I have found that if you buy some 8X11 sheets of 50 Grit sand paper and using rubber cement glue them to a 3/4"X 8"X11" piece of ply wood to keep them flat and level so you can remove all the grit and dirt and restore the roughness of the pads and extend the life of the pads by at least 5-7 times before throwing away.

One other thing sanding the Pads: remove the pads from the car and sand in a circular motion keep the pad as flat as possible. once they look clean dip them into an alcohol bath swirl them around to remove any dust or loose grit from the sandpaper. Rubbing alcohol even know it's 25% water will work fine just allow the pad to dry for an hour or two before re-installing it in the car.

Dan

 I do keep cleaning the pads until they wear out, I'm only on the second since building the car. I usually use a small wire brush to clean it until I need to use coarse sand paper to remove all the dirt and start fresh.

Mike

Great article. I use the four nails glued to a piece of hardboard and it works great. First proposed by Shamus, founder of AMR,, I thinK.

Yet another great tutorial - again just the type of artical I enjoy - thanks.

It is intended to keep track that has been cleaned from getting dirty.  The first person I heard of using a masonite slider was John Allan back in the early 1950's on the Gorre & Depheatid.  We try to have one running in every train on the modular railroad everytime the club sets up a display.  This is after we clean all rails with a brite boy.  We regularly check the slider for build up and clean them with a bit of alcohol on a paper towel when the build up gets too bad.  I've never seen a slider car reduce the performance of any locomotive.

The cars main role is to pick up loose dust, etc. it does polish a bit, but as has been suggested, it won't clean off very dirty track. I've used my pad, a pice of hardboard, for over a year and it's still working great. Just a slight pad cleaning once in awhile.

Roy

I clean my masonite sliders by pulling the pad out of the car and running it across some 80 grit sandpaper a few times. This removes the grunge buildup and leaves the pad with a little 'tooth' which in (my) theory makes it a bit more effective at removing the grunge.

Charlie

I belove John came up with this some years ago. Our club built a couple back some time in the late 1980's.

Rich

I do use the car to clean dirty track, it is the extra weight that makes it work, other cars I've seen, and I have a few do not have the weight on top of the pad inside the car.

Mine runs after painting track to clean the rails. I do not use any abrasive cleaning. My only addition is a Center Line car to help spread the fluid, Rail Zip, on the track.

Mike Ruby