[Laurence]

Hello,
Bit of an unusual one this,

I am looking for a battery powered N Gauge Train to push a track cleaning wagon around my layout.
running dcc but seem to be suffering badly with track conductivity.
This is not a problem with the track I can get to and clean , but if the dcc loco gets stuck in a tunnel I've had it.

any advice greatly appreciated

Thanks

 

[Nigel2001]

More pickups ??
I think some of the N loco makers have offered "dummy" versions of diesels which ran double-headed. Typically these have the full bogie of the powered loco, but lack the motor and gears. So, the pickups should be there. Use those, two wires, to link to the powered loco (there are simple plug-sockets which can be used).
Or, coaches which have pickups for lighting could do the same and add pickups to the loco pushing the track cleaner.

Battery could work, but unless you add control to it, there's a problem of a loco running in a tunnel which you can't control.
Typically that control would be radio - an option would be components from Micron Radio Control. Probably simpler with loco pulling a battery and radio-electronics wagon (bogie wagon!), with two wires to the loco's motor. But, unless you've already got a compatible R/C transmitter device, its a fair bit of investment in time/money to just make a single loco push a track cleaner around.


And, re-think the layout. If you have tunnels, then there needs to be a way to get to things stuck inside. Either access doors, or removable scenery, or something.



- Nigel

 

[34C]

...re-think the layout. If you have tunnels, then there needs to be a way to get to things stuck inside. Either access doors, or removable scenery, or something...

Further to which, fixing the causes of the track dirt problem rather than trying a 'cure' of cleaning to restore conductivity is always the better approach. Where's the dirt coming from? How can it be reduced or eliminated?

... a track cleaning wagon...

The idea of using a track cleaning wagon should be tested before embarking on any further expenditure. Does it work successfully on the accessible track?

 

[Laurence]

Thanks for the quick reply ,

The layout is in the shed amongst a cnc machine , laser cutter and multiple power tools , the shed is fully insulated and dry inside .
I have dust and fume extraction on the big stuff so no dust , if I haven't ran a loco around the track for about a week and cleaned them , the rails have a black layer on top with very little conductivity.

Is this normal.

The tunnels are not built yet but it won't be long before construction , just planing ahead really . access to the tunnels is via the side of the layout cut outs
got that bit right 😀

N loco sounds promising I will look into that

Thanks

 

[34C]

...The layout is in the shed amongst a cnc machine , laser cutter and multiple power tools , the shed is fully insulated and dry inside .
I have dust and fume extraction on the big stuff so no dust , if I haven't ran a loco around the track for about a week and cleaned them , the rails have a black layer on top with very little conductivity.

Is this normal...

You may have good extraction on your machine tools, but these will be a problem for railhead cleanliness. Unless you go for full laminar flow air movement (floor to ceiling is ideal) fully encompassing the machine tool area this will not fully remove vapour resulting from the machines, because this is effectively gas and diffuses in all directions because there will be plentiful boundary turbulence, so some escapes the extraction; unlike dust which is entrained in the mass airflow fairly efficiently. (Unless you want to do some serious reading or already have a physics degree, you'll just have to trust my past experience in class 100 clean room control in making this statement.)

The problem on the rails (and also on the metal tyres and pick up contacts) is that the alloy used is a cupro-nickel - commonly 'nickel-silver' - and mechanical action promotes exposure and thus chemical reaction - oxidation - of the copper. This happens even if there is only regular air present; add extra water vapour and other vapours from the machine tool's cutting fluid and any gaseous releases, and the effect will be increased. The resulting copper oxide is the major inorganic component of the black railhead dirt and is an insulator. (The exposed nickel is also oxidised, but this oxide is hard and adherent, forms a thin skin which arrests further oxidation of the nickel in these conditions.) Run the trains enough and eventually the contacting surfaces of railhead and wheel tyres will be depleted of copper, and there is less 'dirt' as a result; this however takes years...

 

[Laurence]

Thanks 34C
interesting stuff, there's more to this than meets the eye, valuable information in every comment.
much appreciated.


Unless you want to do some serious reading or already have a physics degree ,
😀Just a humble electrician my friend.