LGB Track cleaning loco; how good actually are they!?

funandtrains


The best cleaning tool I've seen was a scouring pad fitted to a pivoting block attached to a broom pole. The owner could walk it around the track quite quickly without getting a sore back, it works on wet track too and if it is grungy you just rinse it out from time to time.

I don't like the idea of any grinding track cleaner like the LGB loco as they leave marks on the tracks to trap more dirt.

Without the use of a microscope I would defy anyone to see any scratches on the track after the track cleaning loco has run. It has the appearance of being cleaned with jewellers rouge ie it is a polisher rather than a scourer.  Any cleaner of this type has some abrasive effect otherwise it would not clean but the end result is far less damaging than a scouring pad. I have tried several and on each occasion the marks are visible to the naked eye, that is not the case with the TCL.

I'm almost certain (96.73%) I remember reading a posting on GSM from someone who'd rewired his TCL and added another decoder so the grinder (or should that be polisher) motor could be controlled separately under DCC. Presumably that would also enable it to be reversed. Sounds like the best of all possible worlds (apart from the expense of two decoders).

Rik

Had my track cleaning loco for 9 months running on analogue and not very impressed. Reversed the polarity of the cleaning motor but still not happy with performance. Then a month ago I went digital and what a difference ! Put the cleaning motor back to run in opposite direction of driving wheels, ran loco at full speed as recommended with cleaning motor running and hey presto ! - clean track ! No bouncing of the loco and cleaning discs can be turned on/off from universal remote. Loco pushes along slowly even though full speed is selected, but this just gives the cleaning discs chance to do their job. 100% improvement on analogue. Also the instructions for the loco tell you not to use it on wet/ damp track. I now would not be without mine.

I have the LGB 20670 and made a mistake with the PC decoder programmer.    Does anyone know the default CV values for the yellow 20670?  I'm desperate as the loco will go forwards and backwards but I can't get the lights to come on or cleaning motor to come on anymore, and they worked perfectly before I tossed it on the programming track. HHELLPPP pleease!!!!

KeithT

funandtrains


The best cleaning tool I've seen was a scouring pad fitted to a pivoting block attached to a broom pole. The owner could walk it around the track quite quickly without getting a sore back, it works on wet track too and if it is grungy you just rinse it out from time to time.

I don't like the idea of any grinding track cleaner like the LGB loco as they leave marks on the tracks to trap more dirt.

Without the use of a microscope I would defy anyone to see any scratches on the track after the track cleaning loco has run. It has the appearance of being cleaned with jewellers rouge ie it is a polisher rather than a scourer.  Any cleaner of this type has some abrasive effect otherwise it would not clean but the end result is far less damaging than a scouring pad. I have tried several and on each occasion the marks are visible to the naked eye, that is not the case with the TCL.

 
the cleaning wheels are made off a foam, which is harder than the dirt.. but softer than the brass..simple really.. it cleans the dirt away.. not wears the track ...

In answer to the original question :
 
They are very good provded :
1. They are used when the track is dry.
2. The cleaning wheels are regularly cleaned and wd 40 applied sparingly to bearings only (not the cleaning wheel surfaces)
3. The free rotation of the cleaning wheels should be checked before each use on the track.
4. The cleaning "bay" is cleaned out of dust and detritous before each use.
5. Best to clean track going on level or "downhill" direction.
 
If you follow the above, many years of use and clean track will follow.