High Frequency track cleaners unsuitable for Dapol locos.

[Bealman]

The best way to keep track clean is to run trains! 

[Newportnobby]

What's the difference between a HF track cleaner and a Barratt starter home?

Eventually the starter home will sell

[ntpntpntp]

The best way to keep track clean is to run trains! 

Yes I agree even though it may seem counter-intuitive to some.  With my exhibition layout I find I rarely have to clean the track, at most a quick burnish on the morning of a show and often that is more to do with removing condensation from where the layout has sat in a cold hall overnight.  The layout can sit for months on end crated up in my garage, when it comes out and it set up it's ready to go.

I do regularly inspect and clean loco and stock wheels.

[EtchedPixels]

The environment also matters. We once had a layout in a working heritage steam loco shed. The track needed a real clean every use because suphur and nickel silver track seems to result in a non conducting layer on top.

Alan

[Caz]

it only takes one time for you to forget to switch them off and you'll risk frying something (at considerable repair cost).

Cheers,
Alan

When I first joined the Benalmadena Railway club and was invited to bring along some locos to run on their DC exhibition layout (I switched the Analogue on in the decoders especially) I didn't realise they had one of them fitted, fried my 101 DMU, Farish Castle and a Dapol Hall decoders before I realised.   

[Bob Tidbury]

I have them fitted on my layout but I only switch them on when running the old Poole built locos ,BUT I agree with Dr Al you only forget to switch them of once and the damage will be done .
My friends did just that and burnt out the lights on my Bubble car  so I think I will remove the H F track cleaners completely . I now clean the track with a 10 Commandments track cleaner and then use a graphite stick which I found gives really smooth running and is briliant for use on the blades of my points I dont get any stalling or bad contact now.
Bob Tidbury

[DarrwestLU6]

Thanks Caz and Bob - great advice!

[Bealman]

As the above posts point out, HF units are basically a 2018 no-no. 

[jpendle]

Yeah,

The title should be 'High Frequency Track Cleaners are Unsuitable'

Regards,

John P