Do I need to use the Walthers Bright Boy track cleaner?

[homersimpsonlikestrains]

Do I need to use the Walthers Bright Boy track cleaner, or can I just use a regular eraser to clean the rails?

Bright Boy Abrasive Track Cleaner -- Standard Grit

Keep Trains Running Reliably with Bright Boy Improve the conductivity of your tracks by keeping them clean with easy-to-use Walthers Bright Boy. This rubber-based abrasive is also great for taking grime off metal loco, freight or passenger car wheels too.

www.walthers.com

 

[Smudge617]

Do I need to use the Walthers Bright Boy track cleaner, or can I just use a regular eraser to clean the rails?

Bright Boy Abrasive Track Cleaner -- Standard Grit

Keep Trains Running Reliably with Bright Boy Improve the conductivity of your tracks by keeping them clean with easy-to-use Walthers Bright Boy. This rubber-based abrasive is also great for taking grime off metal loco, freight or passenger car wheels too.

www.walthers.com

There are lots of different track cleaners, all are about the same, the PECO track cleaner is the same thing, but cheaper.

 

[timlange3]

I would use the eraser, it is not abrasive, for trouble spots try Goo Gone and clean it off the tracks when done. I would use the Bright Boy just before reaching for a file.

 

[santafewillie]

A regular pink "school eraser" will do for most track conditions. A Bright Boy can be used on tougher conditions. Bright Boy's can leave minute scratches on the rail, which can then re-collect dust; this matters more to users of DCC than to users of DC. Tim suggests Goo-Gone, but I stopped using that years ago. It cleans well but leaves a sticky film which then has to be cleaned off before running trains. I would never use a file or a Dremel. Woodland Scenics makes a wand-type track cleaner called Tidy Track which while quite handy is also a little on the expensive side.
These are my experiences only.

 

[Selector]

Wipe the rails with contact cleaner. After a very recent revisiting/revision of that list published over at MRH five or six years ago, they have taken kerosene, which I have used to good effect (?)!!}, out of first place. Now it's WD-40 and CRC contact cleaners. Quite a few now burnish their rails with a stainless 1.5" washer afterwards.

Do NOT use abrasive materials. Bright Boy being among those. The tiny grooves left behind encourages micro-arcing which is hot plasma which burns up and turns to the black goop you see on tires and rails near the frogs any organics left behind when wiping the rails. So.........don't leave grooves! The steel washer smooths the rail bearing head and keeps everything much cleaner.

 

[jhn_plsn]

I'm with Crandell. To be specific use "WD-40 Electrical Contact Cleaner" on a piece of old T-shirt material cut into strips. Avoid the rough bright boy, because it will make things worse. As Willie pointed out the bright boy will create scratches that will collect gunk. I like to use fine sanding sponges on track after construction then follow up with a polishing sponge. These are available at the big box stores. I like to run a washer along the track to further burnish the rail. Look up "gleam method of track cleaning". Once the rails are smooth I add No-ox which people will debate a bit. You could add graphite instead as I have read of many happy results with it. I like the graphite for wheel wipers on sound cars as it makes for less drag.

Just my two cents. Take what you want and trash the rest.

Model Railroading is fun when the trains run reliably.

 

[logandsawman]

For cleaning my track, I only use isopropyl alcohol an a soft white cotton t shirt section. I use a small piece of wood. The advantages to this method is it is clean, cheap, effective, and non toxic.

I soak the bottom of the cloth with several drops of the alcohol.

If it is a stubborn area, I hold the wood like this, pressing most on the inside of the track. This track was painted with Rusty Rail last week. Even trying to keep it off the top of the track, some slops on invariably.

If I am doing a light dusting, I pull it over my track like this (above)

This is a closeup of my piece of wood and cloth. I have been using this piece for quite some time.

Lots of guys use the track cleaning cars.


hope this helps, Dave LASM