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After a year of learning and realizing the mistakes i made with my first layout I've decided to tear down my 80x36 layout and do another. I've begun pulling up my ballasted KATO track and plan to soak them in warm soapy water then cleaning with a tooth brush. Is this ok? The switches I plan to clean by hand and then blow out with compressed air.
I'm not familiar with Kato track but I can't see why you couldn't do it. Shouldn't be any difference between it and any other brand of track. Like you said, don't soak the turnouts, do them individually by hand.
I soaked mine and used a small finger nail brush to clean them with no ill affects.The turnouts I got as much off as I could before using water and I used it very sparingly took a little time but they came out pretty good.
The switches, both powered and manual have a delicate mechanism inside, I would definitely not soak them in anything, however, the track consists of a plastic roadbed and nickel-silver rail. No amount of soaking can hurt it, unless it's something that eats at the plastic.
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