Routine Track and Loco Maintenance

[Trevor-353714]

I've had my TT layout for a good few months now, and had my Trigo running around. I haven't done anything in terms of track cleaning or maintenance on the loco. As quite a newbie, should I have been? If so, what? Do others ever do much?

[Fishmanoz]

Trevor, could you please use the 3 dots menu on the right of your post, select Edit, then amend your title to read “Routine Track and Loco Maintenance”. That way people will know what you want to find out about and are more likely to reply.

And while you’ve only asked about the track, loco maintenance keeping wheels clean and pickups tensioned is part of it. Dirt will transfer from one to the other if not all clean.

[GMD]

Trevor

Lots of options and preferences when it comes to keeping track, wheels and pickups clean. Nothing especially distinctive as far as TT scale goes compared to 00.

The most basic bit of kit is a track rubber, some like it, some don’t!

Others prefer a specialist track cleaning solution, which you rub over the rail head to remove grime.

Others opt for IPA and a rag.

Then there are specially converted wagons that have devices to wipe the track as they go past when attached to a loco, though Hornby don’t have one of these in TT, not yet anyway.

Overall, any method will suffice, but yes, after months of use, it is certainly time for a wee clean! Happy holidays!

[BritInVanCA]

I’ve had an A4 Falcon since about June. My track is on a baseboard that I keep clean. The other day I took a deep breath and removed the base keeper plate. I was amazed how much oil was in there which had caused quite the build up of debris. I cleaned it up and cleaned the pickups with a liquid cleaner.

A good reminder of necessary maintenance. It certainly challenged my eyesight and dexterity

[Rallymatt]

On subject of maintenance, don’t forget your rolling stock wheels, unpowered wheels always pick up more dirt than ones with a current flowing through. It’s surprising just how much and build up casing the wheel ‘tyre’ to be uneven.

For lubrication, use the right lubricant for the job, leave stuff like 3 in 1 for the lawnmower and never use WD 40 (it’s not a lubricant). Use a pin to pick up a tiny drop of oil and transfer it to the clean surface to be lubricated. Even the very narrow nozzles on some bottles will over supply.

Take great care when cleaning the pick up wipers on wheels, they are delicate phosphor bronze and will damage easily. If you have removed wheels with contacts, a pair of cranked tweezers are useful to squeeze the contacts towards chassis while putting wheel sets back in, never force them.