Drag car

A fairly simple to make drag car with a piece of hardboard under it works well.  One can be made out of old rolling stock and fitted to a MOW train or hidden amongst a normal frieght.

kevin

My favorite ...

My favorite is:

Available here: tonystrains.com/product/cmx-clean-machine-ho

Notice it's not plastic - it's thick brass, with some real heft to it. Any time we need to clean the track I fill this guy with 90% Isopropyl alcohol and run it across the track. Even one pass will make a very noticeable difference - but get spare pads, you don't want to just be redistributing the track gunk with a dirty pad.

Eventually most track

Eventually most track cleaners will become dirt spreaders on larger layouts. Nearly all use some type of friction device to rub the rails and after the portion that contacts the rails becomes soiled as it rubs the rails it picks up some and puts some back. If you think not put on fresh pads and run them till you have one comeback clean as that will mean it has gotten all the dirt.

The vacuum car that atlas made looks to have more promise than some as it will actually remove and collect some dirt in hoppers inside the car. Also the rollers that get changed frequently with new wipers maybe more effective than others. I suspect the best means of cleaning track is to use alcohol on cotton rags that are lint free and involve frequent clean spots to contact the rails. One could use this method and end up with clean track.

As to the sliders after one goes around your layout and becomes blackened run this car on a section of track cleaned with the cotton rags and see if it does not in fact make the track dirtier than it was.

There was much discussion of this in the graphite threads and I suspect the best means to good operation would be with clean track that has been treated with Graphite and kept in a clean environment.

I follow up Joe suggestion of

I follow up Joe suggestion of the brass cleaning car as well as Robs with the Atlas vacuum car. I vac then use lacquer thinner, cuts just about anything and use a new pad each cleaning. You definitely do NOT want to spread the dirt. I was made a believer with both products. But metal wheels on all rolling stock makes the biggest difference. 

Nuclear cleaning train

I use a cmx (the one in Joe's post) loaded with acetone - the semi friendly, nasty solvent. That is followed by a dragger car, followed by a centerline roller car all in the same consist. The dragger and the centerline do a good job of picking up the gunk loosened by the CMX.

I just had an Ops session after the layout was in construction mode for a couple of years.  I dusted/vacuumed everything first and then ran the train over all the track - three passes on each section.,.  4 hours of running trains yesterday, no stalling.

I discovered that if I remove the springs on the pad of the CMX car, it stopped getting caught on switch points but was still able to keep enough downward force (that casting is heavy) to clean well. If you are finding holes in the surface of the cleaning pad or bits of the pad caught in your points or tack joints, you might try removing the springs and see if it works for you.

Guy

CMX Car

I agree with Guy and Joe, use the CMX car loaded with acetone. I just finished the annual cleaning, vacuumed everything, ran the CMX car around (changed the pad numerous times), cleaned all the wheels and then treated the rails with graphite. Should be good for another year!

I don't generally run trains over the summer, so come fall it has accumulated a nice layer of dust so needs the annual cleaning. Since it was raining today it seemed like something to do on a rainy day!

CMX for me

I also use the CMX car.....but I use 91% alcohol.........I also use the Miniatronics "Electrax 2" car that they made from an Athearn dummy B unit.

So many methods and means to

So many methods and means to an end, (alcohol, denatured alcohol, track cleaning cars, this product that product its all the same bunk., just get the track clean, clean the wheels of your locomotive or engine as wel,l and just keep the trains running..most of  the methods out there work. the goal just keep the trains running,  use them all try them all, there is great advice out there, find the one that works for you. Hey  Also check out the graphite stick applied to the rails after a thorough cleaning...I did it and have not cleaned the track near as often as I used to..good and luck  best wishes.