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!
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.
Quote from: cjdodd on February 23, 2014, 06:40:50 PM
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.
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
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 :)
I believe it is better to propel the Tomix rather than haul it, as then the pushing loco is travelling over cleaned track :hmmm:
This is a little disturbing to learn. I've been thinking of acquiring one of these, but my layout is DC also. :confused2:
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.(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/30/thumb_22418.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=22418)
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 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.
Quote from: railsquid on May 06, 2015, 12:28:10 AM
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 :)
No deep vein thrombosis for me, Jon :no:
Being transition era I'd probably have an inspection coach (ex NGS) on the front :D
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 :beers:
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! :thumbsup:
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 (http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=M15220CLUB&style=&strType=&Mcode=Minitrix+15220CLUB) Available from other dealers also
But if thats the one I think it is, it's just a rubber under the wagon? ???
Quote from: lil chris on May 06, 2015, 12:24:40 AM
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.(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/30/thumb_22418.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=22418)
CMX clean machine is what I have. Similar to the above but just pain brass. Fairly expensive but has worked well over the years, Load up with IPA and off she goes. Do need to be a little careful with the drip rate though otherwise scenery can be affected
Quote from: Bealman on May 08, 2015, 12:20:06 PM
But if thats the one I think it is, it's just a rubber under the wagon? ???
Yups the one I recommended is a compound rubber that is suppied 3 in the box and they are washable and reusable indefinably.
For suction problems I use a hand held vacuum cleaner
Have to say I have been bitterly disappointed with my Tomix when I jumped on the band wagon and bought it from Japan at good price.
- In hoover mode I admit it works very well, but half as good as my keyboard hoover does and my keyboard hoover sucks dust up twice as fast
I found my Tomix has so much drag -I can't use it on Kato 1st or 2nd curves without overloading a bo-bo or co-co loco
I swapped my "hoover" head on the Tomix for a cleaning pad and put the Tomix fluid in the reservoir. It just bled the solvent everywhere and gave me problems as it got into the loco. Also, I found although the pad is very loosely slung, it hung up on every point and rail gap which wasn't 100% flush (but never gives problems for rolling stock)
I was going to sell my Tomix, but as I just can't seem to get it to work my morals say I should not punt it off. That said I know others get it to work well -I am now a firm believer in:
- Quick rub with hardboard / softwood with light mist of IPA
Gaugemasters under slung cleaning pads -took a long time to convince me and they are hard to find an item of stock to fit but they work so well. After half an hour running on track I use an IPA soaked cotton bud to clean the pad then they are good to go again. Job done.
Rich
Quote from: RST on May 08, 2015, 09:40:28 PM
Gaugemasters under slung cleaning pads -took a long time to convince me and they are hard to find an item of stock to fit but they work so well.
Totally agree, those little pads are great and can be re-used if cleaned. Almost every train I run now has one fitted somewhere in the rake. For passenger trains I use a CCT van as the carrier and for goods trains, then a 15ft guards van is perfect. To get them to fit I reduce the width of the plastic and pad a little so it fits between the various frame hardware.
Quote from: RST on May 08, 2015, 09:40:28 PM
Have to say I have been bitterly disappointed with my Tomix when I jumped on the band wagon and bought it from Japan at good price.
- In hoover mode I admit it works very well, but half as good as my keyboard hoover does and my keyboard hoover sucks dust up twice as fast
I found my Tomix has so much drag -I can't use it on Kato 1st or 2nd curves without overloading a bo-bo or co-co loco
I swapped my "hoover" head on the Tomix for a cleaning pad and put the Tomix fluid in the reservoir. It just bled the solvent everywhere and gave me problems as it got into the loco. Also, I found although the pad is very loosely slung, it hung up on every point and rail gap which wasn't 100% flush (but never gives problems for rolling stock)
did you remove the semi-circular brush next to the hoover fan? this is the source of most of the drag on mine
Nick R
I was going to sell my Tomix, but as I just can't seem to get it to work my morals say I should not punt it off. That said I know others get it to work well -I am now a firm believer in:
- Quick rub with hardboard / softwood with light mist of IPA
Gaugemasters under slung cleaning pads -took a long time to convince me and they are hard to find an item of stock to fit but they work so well. After half an hour running on track I use an IPA soaked cotton bud to clean the pad then they are good to go again. Job done.
Rich
Quote from: Caz on May 09, 2015, 06:06:59 PM
Quote from: RST on May 08, 2015, 09:40:28 PM
Gaugemasters under slung cleaning pads -took a long time to convince me and they are hard to find an item of stock to fit but they work so well.
Originally made by Noch and rebranded by GAugemaster so obtainable from any good continental supplier