Peco track cleaning problem after ballasting

[videobruce]

I have been unable to fully clean off the residue of Elmer's glue (assuming that is what it is) off the track that has changed the appearance from bright Nickle Silver to a 'brass' look causing poor electrical contact. Apparent when looking at track that hasn't been ballasted.

I've used a non abrasive 'track erasure' and Mineral Spirits to no avail. Any ideas? I have ordered two different abrasive track cleaners, one being Pecos.

[DKS]

My technique is to drag an X-Acto blade along the railhead. Note that I drag it, not try to slice with it. I also lightly drag it with the blade held roughly at a 45-degree angle along the inner top corners of the railhead. This usually cleans off nearly all of the residue; I get the rest with an abrasive pad, followed by a 91% alcohol rinse.

[robert3985]

Since Elmer's is water soluble, I'd think that a wet rag, dampened with hot water, would get a lot of the white glue residue off, or at least thin it out a lot.

I just clean the tops of my rails after ballasting with my old flexible Brite-Boy track cleaner...since it's a little "spongey" it also cleans the edges of the railheads.

If that doesn't work, I do what DKS does...lightly scraping (very lightly) at a 45deg angle the inside corners of the railheads...using long, gentle strokes, not short, choppy moves.

Good luck!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Chris333]

Here is a good overall video on cleaning track including Max's suggestion to "gleam" the rails with a steel washer.

[greenwizard88]

I've always been told that because a bright boy is abrasive, you should avoid using it on smaller (HO, N) scales. Is that not true?

[DKS]

I've always been told that because a bright boy is abrasive, you should avoid using it on smaller (HO, N) scales. Is that not true?

Not really. Some modelers claim abrasives add unwanted scratches to the surface of the rail. Thing is, it's no worse than the condition of brand new rail: it's not "perfect" out of the box.

Unfortunately, like commercial vs. handlaid track, track cleaning can become a "hot button" for some. All kinds of biases and misconceptions abound.

[Chris333]

I've always been told that because a bright boy is abrasive, you should avoid using it on smaller (HO, N) scales. Is that not true?

Well it is abrasive (in any scale) so...  After I paint or glue track I use sandpaper to get the crud off. Then I use finer sandpaper till the rail are shiny.

This is why I think people say that Kato Unitrack never needs cleaned. I think they polish it at the factory. You can polish any track. You cannot polish a turd.

[DKS]

This is why I think people say that Kato Unitrack never needs cleaned. I think they polish it at the factory. You can polish any track. You cannot polish a turd.

Well, it's also because it appears Kato's nickel alloy is different from most. Then there's rail profile, and a host of other variables.

[davefoxx]

I bought a stainless steel washer, and it has done a great job of polishing the rails on my layout.  I definitely clean track less often.

DFF

[CRL]

Well it is abrasive (in any scale) so...  After I paint or glue track I use sandpaper to get the crud off. Then I use finer sandpaper till the rail are shiny.

This is why I think people say that Kato Unitrack never needs cleaned. I think they polish it at the factory. You can polish any track. You cannot polish a turd.

I think you%u2019ve disproved the old statement about not being able to polish a turd. If Kato polishes their Unitrack, they%u2019ve clearly perfected turd polishing.

[Maletrain]

I am going through the track cleaning process at our club, after a lot of ballasting was done by several others.  Everything had thoroughly dried, and the usual Brite Boy didn't do anywhere near good enough.

What I found works best for the rails is one of those old pencil type ink erasers that people used to use for typewritten papers.  See https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L7DY1BK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2

I can run it over just one rail head, going between the "boards" of roadway crossings, etc.  In some places, it takes a lot of scrubbing. Using the reflection of a ceiling light, I can see when the metal is finally uniformly shiny.  I then follow up with a lint-free cloth soaked in WD-40 Contact Cleaner (not regular WD-40).

I also have to clean out the flangeways, which I usually do with a small screwdriver blade.  Sometimes there are some ballast particles glued into the flangeways.  And even when there are no particles, I sometimes scrape out a layer of white glue that is thick enough for the flanges to ride up on it.

[Chris333]

I've been using a bright boy type thing from Atlas that is white. Still abrasive, but I think it's a much finer grit. But still the end result is to polish and then some CRC 2-26.

[mu26aeh]

Since I started using the Ballast Magic, I had zero issues cleaning track afterwards.  Just a basic wipe down because it had water sprayed on it.

Can't wait to lay track again, so I can ballast again

[davefoxx]

@videobruce,

Are you spraying the glue onto the ballast and soaking the rails, too?  If so, I’d suggest an eye dropper or a bottle with a tip that will allow you to dribble the glue onto the ballast.  I use an old Elmer’s glue bottle with a twist cap that can control the flow of diluted glue.  This will keep 99% of the glue off of the railheads.  Won’t help you with current problem, but it may prevent this issue going forward.

DFF

[mmagliaro]

The last time I came up against this was at a show where a test track had been ballasted and the glue residue was incredibly stubborn.  I'm sure that paper towels, alcohol, and lots of patience would have eventually worked, but something we had on hand that turned out to work great was a one of those thick beautician's nail polishing boards.  Not the "emery board" with sandpaper glued on it.  Those polishing boards that are about 1/8" thick and have a foam middle.  Some have 4 different grades of "grit" on them. Some are just one.  But a very fine one, that is just intended to buff nails and not sand them down, did a good job of getting that stuff off.

I do understand the dilemma.  I've had little sections of track only a few inches long crop up as "dead" months after ballasting and cleaning, only to discover a thin, hardened crusty film of ballast glue that I never quite got off when the track was put down.