# My Track cleaner car



## Mayan2012 (Apr 12, 2015)

Went to Hobby Lobby and bought a package of disc magnets. Glued a small dowel to the end of one side. Wrapped it in 1200 grit sandpaper. And affixed the dowel under the front end of my Super G+ car. Works great. The magnet pushes the sandpaper to the rails for a firm sanding action.

After the fact, I thought that I could have butchered an old dragster front end with a magnatraction chassis for the same purpose, but this works well so I haven't done it yet.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

ingenious


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## swamibob (Jan 20, 2009)

Very Cool!!!!!

Tom


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

Great Job a very simple idea. Having done several styles of "track cleaners" they get complicated very quickly, one thing that I have found that helps is to add braids to the pickup shoes, I use worn out pickups and just resurface the shoe with a strip of braid, I don't flare the braid out, I just let it also scrub the rails.

Again nice job, very simple, probably easy to swap between cars as well

Boosted


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## mrstumpy (Oct 5, 2013)

Very neat idea! However, I have a question that comes from years in model railroading as well as slot cars. In trains, all recommendations are NOT to use sandpaper (or steel wool) to clean the rails. The sandpaper leaves scratches in the rail top that collect even more dirt and crud, and can't be easily cleaned out.

There are special rail cleaning blocks train guys use, track cleaning cars with something like 3M pads mounted under them, heck even an ink or pencil eraser will work with no damage to the rail.

Now, I'm not saying what you've created is in any way wrong as slot car track often uses harder stainless steel for the pick up rails, while model trains use a softer nickel-silver or stamped steel rails. But I'm just wondering if anyone has ever heard about this in slot car racing?

My first experience with slot cars was an Aurora 'vibrator" set in 1960 or 61, and I've raced in every scale there is at one time or another. But in all these years, I don't recall ever hearing about rail damage in slot car racing. Has anyone else heard of this as a problem?

Stumpy in Ahia:thumbsup:


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## dabeon (Jan 5, 2013)

*My Track Cleaner*

Hi!

I created this "cleaner" two years ago. It worked better in my mind than in the track... 










Best Regards


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

mrstumpy,
I use 1500 or finer to clean/polish my rails.
I have found, just about anywhere that a magnet inline car, like a Tyco 440, will accomplish the same task for the most part.
there are many trains of thought about cleaning rail and they each have merit.
cleaning the track surface without marring is a main concern.
LOL


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

cool stuff
good ideas

But I am lazy so I purchased the brst snap on cleaner for sg+


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## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

I use a stock patriot extreme car to clean my track , so I can run my tjets on it ..


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

60chevyjim said:


> I use a stock patriot extreme car to clean my track , so I can run my tjets on it ..


Yeah anything with that much down force will scrub the tar out of the rails

Boosted


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## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

yeah I bought 2 of them and put cool old 50's car body's on them 
so my wife could race slot cars without her car going off the track all the time


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## Mayan2012 (Apr 12, 2015)

slotking said:


> cool stuff
> good ideas
> 
> But I am lazy so I purchased the brst snap on cleaner for sg+



Is that still available? What does it look like? Only reason I made one was because short of an AJ's, I didn't think anyone made one.


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

I am not sure??
I did not see it on their web site, but an email to them may help in finding 1.

It was light blue short T shape gizmo that snapped on the SG+ chassis if I remember right

Not sure where mine is as I have tons of slot stuff all packed up after I moved.


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## Hotrodzz3 (Apr 5, 2011)

Very cool idea, I see one of these in my future


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## brownie374 (Nov 21, 2007)

What you want is called a bright boy it is sold to clean model railroad track.Just search bright boy on ebay its a large eraser type thing


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## slots-n-stuff (Oct 18, 2006)

brownie374 said:


> What you want is called a bright boy it is sold to clean model railroad track.Just search bright boy on ebay its a large eraser type thing


Brownie374 I did the search ... this it?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Bright-Boy-Track-Cleaner-Hobby-Standard-Bob-The-Train-Guy-/381133228744?hash=item58bd4f8ac8


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

> What you want is called a bright boy it is sold to clean model railroad track.Just search bright boy on ebay its a large eraser type thing


yep, works great, but you can not drive it:lol:

maybe hook it to the back of truck and pull it.
you mat need a worm gear vehicle??


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