Tomix Track Cleaner is it DCC Only?

[petercharlesfagg]

Friends,

I have been trying to clean up some of my laid trackwork using the Tomix cleaner behind an 08 shunter but it appears that the vacuum doesn't spin fast enough without the loco covering the tracks at full speed!   Of course at that rate of knots the vacuum doesn't actually collect much, just a few wisps!

Am I correct in thinking (after watching a couple of You Tube films) that ideally the machine should be used on DCC because the video that impressed me most was showing an 08 travelling quite slowly and the vacuum was loud and spinning at high revs.  The resultant bag? of dust etc. was quite impressive.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.  If nothing else I am thinking of selling the Tomix and using my Woodland Scenics mops instead!

Regards, Peter.

PS, I forgot to mention that I have ONLY DC!

[cjdodd]

yes if you convert the tomix to DCC you can run the hoover at full power and still drag it along slowly, as you have full power to the tracks at all time and the chip controls the speed of the motor.

[petercharlesfagg]

yes if you convert the tomix to DCC you can run the hoover at full power and still drag it along slowly, as you have full power to the tracks at all time and the chip controls the speed of the motor.

Thankyou for your prompt reply.

I forgot to mention in my original post that I only have DC!

Regards, Peter.

[bluedepot]

Hi Peter,

Appreciate you just said you are DC.

For the benefit of those using DCC though you can buy a replacement board with DCC socket from a shop in Germany for easy conversion to DCC.  This is what I did - someone else on the forum linked me to the German shop.   You can solder in your own decoder as well if you are good at this kind of thing!

Cheers,


Tim

[PostModN66]

Since this thread I have bought a Tomix track cleaner from a well known auction site, "not working" for £20.

It was a bit more difficult to fix than I was imagining; it seemed to be half way through a DCC conversion when I opened it up, but I have managed it,  and I dragged it around Deansmoor (DC only) this afternoon.  In practice, there seemed a setting where the hoover impellor was going fairly quickly and the loco speed (an 86 in this case) was fairly low (with the Tomix unit being quite a heavy lump).   It certainly sucked a fair bit of fluff and ballast up on its way around, though strangely the loco showed a propensity to derail at points while pulling the Tomix.

Cheers  Jon 

[Newportnobby]

I believe it is better to propel the Tomix rather than haul it, as then the pushing loco is travelling over cleaned track

[Bealman]

This is a little disturbing to learn. I've been thinking of acquiring one of these, but my layout is DC also. 

[lil chris]

Get yourself one of these George, it works on DCC or DC, must admit I have not tried it yet but I have heard good reports about it.

[railsquid]

On DC it's best to use a loco with a low gear ratio, i.e. one which moves slowly at higher voltages so the vacuum unit gets enough oomph to spin quickly but the ensemble moves slowly enough to actually pick up dust. The Dapol 58 is very useful for this. I push the Tomix unit too; no particular derailment issues noticed.

[ozzie Bill.]

I have DC at present and use the tomix to great effect. Certainly "push" the cleaner, rather than haul behind is first point. Second I use an old atlas geep or an 08 to do the pushing as the cleaner is heavy so the smaller loco works hard, using the higher voltage, thus making the vacuum spin along quite merrily at high revs.
cheers, Bill.

[PostModN66]

On DC it's best to use a loco with a low gear ratio, i.e. one which moves slowly at higher voltages so the vacuum unit gets enough oomph to spin quickly but the ensemble moves slowly enough to actually pick up dust. The Dapol 58 is very useful for this. I push the Tomix unit too; no particular derailment issues noticed.

I knew there must have been a reason why I accidentally bought a 58; perfect!

Presumably those who push the unit must include a DVT at the front, otherwise how does the driver see the signals?! 

Cheers  Jon 

[Newportnobby]

No deep vein thrombosis for me, Jon
Being transition era I'd probably have an inspection coach (ex NGS) on the front

[macwales]

Hi

I am on DC only
I always push the Tomix with the vacuum equipment attached. I use an old Minitrix Diesel to push it. Works quite well.

However, when using liquid track cleaner and the spinning pad the cleaning solution gets on the rails and makes the pushing loco drive wheels spin as the track is slightly wet. I then push the Tomix by hand and have to open up the scenery covers on the tunnels to do inside those. To save on pads I dry the track using an old linen tea towel. The Tomix will clean the track using the pads without any cleaning fluid but not as well but the loco then can push it OK. I usually do this every few months and only use the fluid every year!
Cheers

Mac 

[Bealman]

That's an option I hadn't even thought of - put full current on the track and push it by hand in accessible areas. Thanks! 

[jonclox]

I used to use the Tomix cleaner around the layout with the DC controller but with push power being either The Hand Of God ' directly or with a stick in between but now I use

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=M15220CLUB&style=&strType=&Mcode=Minitrix+15220CLUB   Available from other dealers also