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Battling the oxidation

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#4 ·
It's highly doubtful you have oxidizing stainless. There are a few chemicals that can affect stainless, like chlorine, but it's really rare.

What I believe is more likely is your 0-4-0... for many years they had a terrible plating that came off quickly and then the metal underneath oxidized very quickly and helped make crud everywhere. There's lot of data on this, and your 0-4-0 from 2006 may be in that group of earlier ones with the "bad" wheels.

Definitely do not use oil, even kerosene is a bit oily (we used to leave a jar lid of it in grandfather clocks to lubricate them).

ANY track can get covered with crud, like dust, dirt, pollen, sap... but stainless will not oxidize like brass. I have part of my layout that gets hit with sprinklers every other day. That part is always clean. The rest of the track needs a once around with a piece of scotchbrite to get dust, dirt, bugs off the rails.

Regards, Greg
 
#9 ·
You don't need to sand off any oxidation, just remove the surface crud on SS.

The Aristo car is a big eraser that has no way to "remove" the gunk it encounters other than to build up on the rubber pad.

I prefer scotchbrite, whose open weave does a better job of collecting the gunk and getting it away from the rails:


Image

You might be interested on my page on track cleaning cars:

http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/track-mainmenu-93/track-cleaning-mainmenu-272



Regards, Greg
 
#11 ·
You can get a "Sanding pole" from Home depot, and clip a piece of scotchbrite (I like the maroon colored stuff) to it, and you have an inexpensive cleaner for yourself in a couple of minutes.

If you have deposits from the plastic wheels, they will "Go away" after time, but it's definitely possible that it has spread around. The 0-4-0 is notorious for having wheels that gunk up.

Hope this helps,

Greg
 
#15 ·
Chuck, for brass or aluminum, I would not recommend the maroon scotchbrite.

But he has stainless, (so do I), and it's much harder, and I will guarantee you the maroon does not scratch it!

My recommendation was specific to the poster of the thread.

Regards, Greg
 
#34 ·
No, brasso is a polish and leaves a residue until wiped off.

In other scales, people often use some kind of solvent/cleaner that keeps the air off the track surface, thus reducing oxidation, but you still have something on the track that can collect grit, dust, etc.

Something that works inside a building does not necessarily work outside. Affecting traction is another issue.

I have found liquids on ALREADY clean track can help, but there does not seem to be a safe liquid that eats oxidation but does not have other bad side effects.

Regards, Greg
 
#37 ·
The WD-40 will gum up before other chemicals, one thing that works very well as an anti-oxidant is Wahl clipper "oil", but it's more of a solvent than anything. The CRC stuff mentioned above is apparently one of the better chemicals. Also, AristoCraft smoke fluid works well.

The problem with all of these chemicals is they have to eventually be removed and re-applied.

A much closer shot of your wheels would be good, but from what I see, it looks like the characteristic "bronze" type material of the early wheels. Replacing the wheels would probably be your best bet. Do you have other locos, and do they have the same problem?


Regards, Greg
 
#44 ·
Kerosene is not bad, but it still leaves some deposits, and it's not highly purified (the stuff you can buy at the hardware store), since it is either a general purpose cleaner or fuel. I've used it for various reasons, including lubrication and cooling of stone cutting saws.

I've used it a lot of times for many different things. I don't like the residue it leaves. You can keep applying liquids over and over to avoid residues, I don't like (as stated before) getting "hooked" on applying chemicals to track.

Regards, Greg
 
#46 ·
We can use Wahl oil on Z scale, which is very sensitive to buildup. It's apparently a refined solvent with just a hint of oil... the solvent cleans, the oil keeps oxidation away. Used on hair clippers where lubrication is needed, but too much would have the hair clogging the cutters, and the action of metal on metal leaves the surfaces susceptible to rust.

Regards, Greg
 
#48 ·
Sounds like you live where oxidation occurs rapidly. I live in such a place and brass needed cleaning every day (oxidation). Try the bridge masters car with the scotchbrite, about $65, cheap, effective, easy to use.

Regards, Greg
 
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