Building a Track Cleaner
2
T rack-cleaning cars are not uncommon in the world of toy trains, but try telling that to a Standard gauge operator. When I looked around for one of these handy devices for my Standard gauge layout, I couldn’t find one. That’s when I decided to make my own. In doing so, I designed a cleaning car that’s even more versatile than the O gauge versions I’ve seen, thanks to interchangeable cleaning blocks for light- or heavy-duty cleaning. Plus, it’s simple to build and use. Basically, the cleaning pad and block are pulled along (with no rigid connec- tion) within the frame of a rudimentary two-truck car. The amount of weight that provides the pressure for the abra- sive can be changed as needed. The materials for the basic construc- tion include wood lath finishing strips (like those used in plaster work), 1 1 / 4- by 1 / 4-inch wood strips, and brass or alu- minum strips. A Dremel or Jarvis table saw is a great help in cutting the small strips, but a razor saw or an X-Acto strip cutter can also be used. Naturally, you’ll need some Stan- dard gauge train parts. I chose a set of Lionel no. 500-series Standard gauge trucks and a latch coupler. Car frame Cut the lath strips as illustrated (fig. 1) and assemble them into a “ladder” shape. Because it’s important to keep everything square, I suggest making a full-scale drawing of the frame to use as a guide. Overlay the drawing with waxed paper or clear plastic, lay the strips into their positions on the overlay, and then glue and clamp the pieces. Once this ladder frame has dried, separate it from the waxed paper and reinforce the joints with small nail brads, pre-drilling the holes to prevent the wood from splitting. Cleaning block The cleaning block is a piece of wood with four pins on its top side that keep it centered in the car frame. Drill four holes about 1 / 4-inch deep into the block as shown (fig. 2) and glue the pins into the holes. Round the bottom side slightly (roughly 1 / 16-inch off the front and rear edges) to prevent the block from catching on anything as it rides the rails. To get a nice contour, I suggest rocking the block back and forth on a belt sander or on a piece of sandpaper fixed to a flat surface. Cleaning pads The next step is to glue an abrasive pad to the cleaning block. Start by cutting the pad larger than the block. Then glue it to the block (making sure it adheres to the rounded edges), clamp and weight it until the glue has dried, and then trim. A variety of abrasive pads will work. I ordered mine (part nos. 8996797, 896804, and 896811) from Woodwork- ers Supply, 1125 Jay Lane, Graham NC 27253, phone 800-645-9292. You can also make a second clean- ing block that has a thick felt pad for use with liquid cleaning solutions. Instead of permanently gluing this pad in place, you can fasten it to the front and back edges of the block with removable tacks, screws, clamps, or metal plates. Depending on the fastener you select, you may have to shorten the block slightly to maintain clearances. Build a Standard gauge track cleaner A homemade cleaning car fills the void by E.A. DeZubay photos by Jim Forbes
Transcript of Building a Track Cleaner
Track-cleaning cars are notuncommon in the world of toytrains, but try telling that to a
Standard gauge operator. When Ilooked around for one of these handydevices for my Standard gauge layout, Icouldn’t find one. That’s when Idecided to make my own.
In doing so, I designed a cleaningcar that’s even more versatile than theO gauge versions I’ve seen, thanks tointerchangeable cleaning blocks forlight- or heavy-duty cleaning. Plus, it’ssimple to build and use.
Basically, the cleaning pad and blockare pulled along (with no rigid connec-tion) within the frame of a rudimentarytwo-truck car. The amount of weightthat provides the pressure for the abra-sive can be changed as needed.
The materials for the basic construc-tion include wood lath finishing strips(like those used in plaster work), 11⁄4- by1⁄4-inch wood strips, and brass or alu-minum strips. A Dremel or Jarvis tablesaw is a great help in cutting the smallstrips, but a razor saw or an X-Acto stripcutter can also be used.
Naturally, you’ll need some Stan-dard gauge train parts. I chose a set ofLionel no. 500-series Standard gaugetrucks and a latch coupler.
Car frameCut the lath strips as illustrated (fig.
1) and assemble them into a “ladder”shape. Because it’s important to keepeverything square, I suggest making afull-scale drawing of the frame to use asa guide.
Overlay the drawing with waxedpaper or clear plastic, lay the strips intotheir positions on the overlay, and thenglue and clamp the pieces.
Once this ladder frame has dried,separate it from the waxed paper andreinforce the joints with small nailbrads, pre-drilling the holes to preventthe wood from splitting.
Cleaning blockThe cleaning block is a piece of
wood with four pins on its top side thatkeep it centered in the car frame.
Drill four holes about 1⁄4-inch deepinto the block as shown (fig. 2) andglue the pins into the holes. Round thebottom side slightly (roughly 1⁄16-inch offthe front and rear edges) to preventthe block from catching on anything asit rides the rails.
To get a nice contour, I suggestrocking the block back and forth on abelt sander or on a piece of sandpaperfixed to a flat surface.
Cleaning padsThe next step is to glue an abrasive
pad to the cleaning block.Start by cutting the pad larger than
the block. Then glue it to the block(making sure it adheres to the roundededges), clamp and weight it until theglue has dried, and then trim.
A variety of abrasive pads will work. Iordered mine (part nos. 8996797,896804, and 896811) from Woodwork-ers Supply, 1125 Jay Lane, Graham NC27253, phone 800-645-9292.
You can also make a second clean-ing block that has a thick felt pad foruse with liquid cleaning solutions.Instead of permanently gluing this padin place, you can fasten it to the frontand back edges of the block withremovable tacks, screws, clamps, ormetal plates.
Depending on the fastener youselect, you may have to shorten theblock slightly to maintain clearances.
Build a Standardgauge track cleaner
A homemade cleaning car fills the void
by E.A. DeZubay photos by Jim Forbes
WeightsSelect weights to make your abra-
sive cleaning more effective. You canvary the weights for different pur-poses or to match the pulling powerof each of your locomotives.
Make a rim on the top of thecleaning block to hold the weight inplace. Customize the rim for theweights you use. Use refrigeratormagnets, double-sided tape, or otheradhesives to keep the weight inplace inside the rim.
Trucks and couplerTo mount a pair of trucks and a
coupler to the frame, make threebrass or aluminum plates as shown
(fig. 3). Adhere closely to the loca-tions and sizes of the plates’ holes.
Accurately position the plates tothe top of the car frame as shown(fig. 4). The critical dimensionsensure that there are no clearanceproblems between the wheels andthe frame. Attach the truck mountswith four 4-40 screws and nutsthrough the no. 30 holes. Glue thecoupler plate in place on its mount-ing block, and then drill into theblock through the hole you madeearlier in the coupler plate. I chosea no. 42 wire drill to fit my Standardgauge coupler.
Finally, mount your trucks andthe coupler, place the cleaningblock through the center rectangu-lar opening, and add the desiredweight on top of the block.
Now you are ready to polish yourStandard gauge tracks as easily as dohobbyists in other gauges. T
1 ⁄ "34 1 ⁄ "3
4 4 ⁄ "1 4
0.38"
Critical dimensions
Truck mounts
Coupler plate. Drill no. 43 for no. 4 wood screw
Fig. 4 Trucks and coupler location
Fig. 3 Mounting plates
1 2
13 64
161
1 4
1"
1.406"
2 ⁄ "
0.38"
Drill 0.2031 ( ⁄ ")
Drill 0.1285 ( wire no. 30)
3 16
1"
0.38"
3 4
Drill 0.188 ( ⁄ ")
⁄ "
⁄ "
Truck mounting plate. Make two
Make from 0.05" brass stripor ⁄ " aluminum
4 ⁄ "34
2 ⁄ "34
3 ⁄ "3 4
3 ⁄ "34Weight rim
⁄ "12
1 4
1 ⁄ "12
1 4Drill ⁄ "deep
Curved surface ⁄ " diameter dowel centering pins
Fig. 2 Cleaning block
Weight rim
4 ⁄ " 4" 13"
1 4
B BB
A
A
BC C
D
4 ⁄ "3 4
43 1
163 ⁄ " to 3 ⁄ "
1.20"
B BB ABC CD
1.80"
43 ⁄ " 21 ⁄ "
Top view
Section at center
Fig. 1 Car frame
⁄ " = 1'-0" scale1 4
12
1 41 4
3 4
3 4
1 4
12
12
1 4
1 4
1 4
916
916
3 43 16
3 16
3 41
4
A. (2) ⁄ by ⁄ by 13 inchesB. (4) ⁄ by ⁄ by 3 ⁄ to 3 ⁄ inchesC. (2) ⁄ by ⁄ by 3 ⁄ to 3 ⁄ inchesD. 1 piece ⁄ by ⁄ by ⁄ inch
1 piece ⁄ by 3 ⁄ by 4 ⁄4 pieces 1 ⁄ by ⁄ dia. dowel
An abrasive pad (left), a felt-type pad, andweights such as a block of metal can be used tovary how the track is cleaned. Note the metalplates used to secure the felt pad.
Robert Wegner
