Centerline cleaning cars?


jbaakko

Diesel Detail Freak
Anyone had any experince with Centerline's track cleaning cars? I recently dug out mine, and have never used it. I plan to replace the trucks and wheels (it has talgo style trucks, that'll have to stay on the replacements) and old "pre-RP25" wheels.

The big question is what kind of cleaner would you suggest using?
 
I have been using the Centerline track cleaning car for a couple of years. First thing I had to do though was add some weight to it as when you push the car it tends to derail on the switches. I and most of the guys in the group i belong to use the car and use Goo Gone as the cleaner. We have had little or no complaints, other than the cars being too light. I also put a better set of trucks. In your case i would probably just change the wheels to a set of proto or kadee.

Bob
 
Well I was thinking of just changing the wheels, but I don't want friction bearing wheels when I mix it in with a freight. I'll probly pull it around most of the time, as I intend to have a "loco cleaning track" in my staging area.
 
I have a new HO centerline track cleaning car that has excellent trucks (Kadee if I recall) and seems more than heavy enough to work fine. I cannot imagine my switches are laid better than yours! Only issue I have seen is that the roller sometimes does not roll when the cloth gets some age on it. Hmm maybe I should change it more often? I use Goo Gone too. I asked my wife if she had ever heard of it and she said yes, I have a bottle of it under the sink in the basement bathroom. . .


My friend swears by his CMX (sp).

JD
 
I had a Centerline - They work fine. Mine had talgo trucks and I did replace the wheelsets with metal ones. The big problem is that the roller/pad only work good on one direction. If you cut the 'handi-wipe' real good and tie the thing with very fine thread, you can back up. But replacing the handi-wipe is a pain. I now use a TTTX CMX and this thing really cleans track good. I run it in a track cleaning train that has a masonite pad on the bottom of an old MOW car, and a engine on either end. I use lacquer thinner as suggested.
One suggestion - After you clean the track, replace al of your plastic wheels with metal - NO crud being tracked around!

Jim
 
I'm going 100% metal wheels and 99.9% Sergent couplers, the .1% will be the Adapter car(s). Not sure what I'll select for the adapter car(s) but thats another topic.

I'll run the Centerline car, as they suggest, with Goo Gone, as it seems to be universal, and I have a huge bottle allready ;).

I'm also going to look into more cleaning cars, I guess I'll pick up two or three more. Walthers has a new one, from JAM Solutions, GP40-2, GP50, & GP60 Chassis, that I can use... They say there's others, I haven't checked yet, I'll see what I can find.

Thanks for the help on the centerline car I have...
 
The CMX Clean Machine in HO is on sale at Walther's for $99.98. I just got off the phone with my LHS who is ordering it for me. No shipping and a 10% discount beyond the sale price. List price is about $125. Tony's has it for $120. From what I have heard, this is the one that does the best job keeping the lines clean and ready for those great ops sessions. :D
 



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