Track Conductivity Product

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G

GNMT76

Active Member
[FONT=&amp]Has anyone used a product manufactured by Sanchem called No-Ox-ID “A SPECIAL?” One source I read about it claims that once applied to track, then track cleaning nearly becomes a thing of the past and that electrical conductivity is greatly improved. Apparently, these positive effects can last for years.

What's been your experience with No-Ox?

Thanks! [/FONT]
 
Well of course. When ya let an Ox into your train room, things are bound to get damaged. I just flat out don't allow no Ox into my train room.
 
I noticed that No-Ox has version for model railroading. I think it's a re-labeling opportunity at a higher than regular price. I've read several things about No-Ox and it appears to be a possibility. It was originally designed to be used for radio equipment. If you Google No-Ox and model railroad, you should get several discussions.
 


I've been cleaning my track with cotton swatches and Isopropyl 91-percent alcohol - as well as all the gunk on every wheel - I never have trouble at all. And since the alcohol does not address the "oxidizing' issue at all, I suspect that this stuff is a "shovel with a rope handle".
 
I use to have a problem with power dropping out. I felt the need to clean the track and turnout points often. When I rewired my layout I added many more feeders than before. Now I have equal power all the way around the layout.
 
JimT said:
Lots of work, too much effort. Every model railroader should have a can (plastic bottle) of Wahl Clipper oil on hand. I literally forget about conductivity after a couple of very light applications. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wahl-Clippe...ultDomain_0&hash=item25973115aa#ht_1100wt_916 I bought a few cans from a beauty supply in the 80''s, I still have one open and two new metal cans of the stuff.
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Used to be called "Wahl Hair Clipper Oil". Maybe they use it on some other type of clippers. :confused: I had a metal can of it once. Used it sparingly on my 16' x 10' layout...for about 20 years before I ran out. Got a plastic squeeze bottle of the Clipper Oil for my current 14 x 14 layout. Should last awhile. Great stuff! Just don't overdo it. :)
 
I gave that no-ox-id a try a few years ago. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it. Fortunately, I just tried a bit on a few tracks in my yard. Was not impressed. Had no improved conductivity and I had a helluva time getting the stuff cleaned back off the rails - didn't want to spread it around the rest of the layout.

I burnished all my track about ten years ago now, and aside from a light dusting (normal household dust), I have yet had to do any actual track cleaning. And I definitely avoid putting any liquid of ANY kind on my rails. Clean, polished and DRY - proven for ten years.

Mark.
 


Thanks, Mark. That provides another helpful perspective. With what did you burnish your tracks?

Mark R. said:
I gave that no-ox-id a try a few years ago. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it. Fortunately, I just tried a bit on a few tracks in my yard. Was not impressed. Had no improved conductivity and I had a helluva time getting the stuff cleaned back off the rails - didn't want to spread it around the rest of the layout.

I burnished all my track about ten years ago now, and aside from a light dusting (normal household dust), I have yet had to do any actual track cleaning. And I definitely avoid putting any liquid of ANY kind on my rails. Clean, polished and DRY - proven for ten years.

Mark.
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If your track is older, you're going to have to do some preliminary work first, otherwise, you'll be burnishing your butt off and getting no-where.

You first need to progressively sand the rails smooth. Start with 800 grit working your way up through 1000, 1200 and finally 1600. Just wrap a piece of paper around a small block of wood and do both rails at the same time.

After you have sanded the rails smooth, it's time to start burnishing. Get yourself one of those big stainless steel fender washers that are about 1-1/2" in diameter .... it MUST be stainless steel. I glue a small wood block to the washer as a handle. It requires a fair bit of pressure on the washer to achieve good results. You can not only see the results, you can FEEL the rail smooth out as you go.

Finally give the rail heads a polishing with a good metal polish (like Maas or Flitz), this will not only remove any last oxidation, it will also help to protect the metal from oxidizing as well.

The whole principal behind the burnishing method is to meld the rail surface smooth. By displacing small amounts of material to fill in and smooth out the last remaining micro-scopic pits and scratches.

Here's a before and after shot ....

Before

a9a2532a7ee0452a87e0178e99d4e6871ee60ff.jpg


After

4f22549a54eab50086b06492172d119980941e5.jpg


Mark.
 
I'm using rail zip, I've seen a new formula rail zip 2. Never tried no-ox or wahl oil. I've made a track cleaning train for the club I was in, a mini-tank filled with alcohol with cotton swabs hitting the rails ran over the layout. A regular use of some kind of track cleaning car helps. been there done that cleaning track/wheels. I dabble rail zip on turnout points, sometimes I'll use it on locomotives, it should fluidize dirt and release it and help keep it lubed and electrically contacted.
 
But that's the trouble with using ANY liquid on the rails. Inevitably, some kind of dust or dirt will land on the rails. What happens when you get that dirt and dust wet ? It turns to gunk and begins to accumulate on the rails and the wheels. I never, repeat NEVER apply any kind of liquid to my rails since I've burnished them. I have a couple cars I drag around once in a while just to remove the DRY dust, but that's it.

My layout seldom gets operated these days. It will go for literally months without running. But, I can power it up at any given moment and the trains will run as if I had just spent hours cleaning.

Mark.
 
I know Mark is a firm champion of burnishing, and it works great, but when I look at the amount of track I'd have to do I just can't imagine ever spending that much time. It'd take me ten years to get to the point where I could run my trains cleaning-free for the next ten :D

I've been using No-Ox for something like eight or nine months now, I believe. It works great once it's applied, so I really don't understand why people say they've had bad experiences with it if it's applied correctly. It's applying it that's kind of a pain. If the tracks sit for a while unused (plus I was doing layout construction and track laying), there will be an accumulation of "stuff" on the rails, but all it took was one quick wipe with a felt pad and everything was good to go. And not the kind of wipe where you actually scrub or use any liquids; I just lightly and quickly wiped the rails off with a felt pad and everything was clean and good to go. Now that I'm back to actually running trains, I haven't cleaned my rails at all in nearly two months and have zero issues. No-Ox does work.

The downside to it is actually applying it and then making sure you've cleaned up any excess. That's not really easy to do, and since it is a grease if you leave any blobs behind they will pick up debris all on their own or even keep turnouts from working properly (at least in N-scale). However, again: Off of a few days' work many months ago, I've not had to do anything more than "wipe-n-go" at worst since. I'd say it's worth it, and honestly even if it wore off and had to be re-applied even once a year I'd still take that over liquid cleaning or all the time spent burnishing.

One other method I've heard about is applying graphite to the rails. Since there wouldn't be any post-application cleanup to that I'm going to try it on the next section of track I lay and see how it holds up compared to the No-Ox, but I honestly wonder if it would be as long-lasting as the No-Ox or have to be re-applied more often. Guess I'll found out eventually.
 
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Mike - Trust me, I was a bit put off with the idea of doing my whole layout as well. My layout isn't huge, an "L" shaped room 24' X 24' X 13' wide on both legs. Every evening I spent a couple hours doing what I could in that time frame (my arm would get tired after a couple hours of burnishing anyway !). It only took me a little over two weeks to complete the whole layout. It's proven itself so well, that many local guys have taken up the process as well with equal results.

Mark.
 
Mark R. said:
Mike - Trust me, I was a bit put off with the idea of doing my whole layout as well. My layout isn't huge, an "L" shaped room 24' X 24' X 13' wide on both legs. Every evening I spent a couple hours doing what I could in that time frame (my arm would get tired after a couple hours of burnishing anyway !). It only took me a little over two weeks to complete the whole layout. It's proven itself so well, that many local guys have taken up the process as well with equal results.

Mark.
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I may just try it on a section and see what I'm looking at work-wise. It's not that you don't have me sold on the idea, it's just the execution of the idea. It would be nice to have it all done that way if it doesn't kill me to do it :)
 


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