Quote from: port perran on Yesterday at 06:40:08 PMExcellent Scott.

That B12 looks rather incongruous at the head of those wagons but hey ho - it's all about enjoyment.
She looks to be a lovely smooth runner.

Cheers
Martin.

Yep! Once that pink foam starts turning into Black Douglas Vale she'll look at home (ish).

I have had one of those Tomix track cleaners for a long time now. Highly recommend.

Its very effective when I get dirty track issues in the section of the desktop railway that runs behind the TV/monitor and a bit close to the window ( which tends to create an excess of humidity back there in seasons like now - hot outside air with aircon running inside and albeit the aircon dries the air its not fast enough ). So dust accumulates and damp modifies it. So I have a routine of using a powerful(*) loco (a long one so less contact problems) to first send the cleaner round in vaccuum mode (remarkably effective given the size) followed by another round in "grinding" mode and then a third round with cleaning pads soaked in Tomix track cleaner or IPA (which ever I grab first - and I mean the other IPA - not the beer ). Sometimes I also couple the Minitrix track cleaner wagon for extra effect. An issue with the Miitrix is getting new "consumables". I can easily get replacement Tomix pad and sander disks (they are sticky backed replacements - jst peel off the old ones ) however i can never seem to find stock of the Minitrix pads.

If I do this every few weeks I get perfect running round the back there. If I let things go I get many sticky moments. And I know that grinding the rails is probably a bad idea however its not really grinding per se - more like a "light sanding".

(*powerful and/or long required as otherwise I end up despacthing a second "rescue" loco in order to give a nudge and get things moving as, unfortunately, its a bit inaccessible back there for the skycrane aka the "hand of god" rescue service    ).

Colin.

I too have one of these Tomix track cleaners although it was sold under the Atlas label. On the matter of cleaning fluids, MRH a year ago had an article on what cleaning fluids were optimal. If my memory serves me correctly, they suggested using non-polar solvents. White spirits or Shellite fit the bill. I took their advice and now I use nothing but white spirits (in a CMX track cleaning car). Excellent!!

Webbo

 

Quote from: cmason on Today at 02:02:13 AMIf I do this every few weeks I get perfect running round the back there. If I let things go I get many sticky moments.

Yeah - I hate it when you get sticky moments round the back