When I saw the press release for this product from Ross Custom Switches, it caught my interest. This 40-foot boxcar is an MTH custom run that includes both a voltmeter and a track cleaning system from Many New Products (MNP).
A voltmeter is an instrument that measures voltage between two points in a circuit. This voltmeter is an analog meter (a needle with a dial) that can measure either AC or DC.
My track works fine. Why would I want a voltmeter? I would have asked the same question until a couple of months ago. When reviewing a locomotive, I discovered that either a section of track or a turnout on our in-house layout stopped working. It took quite a bit of troubleshooting to determine the faulty section. A voltmeter would have been a handy tool to quickly locate the problem area.
I’m sure most of us understand the benefits of clean track – better electrical contact and improved performance. Routine track cleaning ensures smooth operation and is an important part of regular maintenance. The MNP track cleaning system contains dual motors with discs mounted on small spring-loaded posts. The discs contain replaceable peel-and-stick cleaning pads. You can purchase extra pads from MNP with a 12 pack costing $7.
On the track
The voltmeter is visible on both sides of the car, and starts up with lights once power is applied. Trains.com Staff Writer Lucas Iverson and I did the initial testing on our in-house layout, the City Terminal & Transfer. We were pleased at how accurate the meter was when applying power from an MTH Z-4000 transformer. It also accurately showed the location of the short on the problematic section of FasTrack.
On the bottom of the boxcar is a black switch labeled on and off. This is to activate the track cleaning motors (2, one for each disc). The rubber discs/pads are not permanently fixed to the car and slide on to a spring-loaded metal post. Be careful when you flip over the boxcar to set it on the track, as the discs will easily fall off the posts. After some experimentation, I found it best to put my hand around the boxcar, using my index and pinky fingers to hold the pads in place while I lowered it onto the track.
You could simply apply power, flip the switch and slowly push the car around the track, but it’s more fun to use a locomotive. My first test used an MTH diesel on Lionel FasTrack. Even with a quick pass around the layout, the cleaner removed a good amount of gunk from the rails. It also had no problem on the turnouts or curves.
Later, I tested the car using a K-Line 0-4-0 Porter on our home layout, which has Lionel tubular track with O-30 curves. There was no mention of using cleaning fluid on the pads, but as a test, I applied some Goo Gone to one pad and left the other dry. You can see in the photos that the pad with Goo Gone picked up more dirt The next morning, the pad with the Goo Gone had loosened the adhesive, which exposed the clean side. I’d use some tacky glue or rubber cement to re-attach it, maximizing its use. (Note: wipe the rails after using the car to remove all Goo Gone residue from the track).
I had some problems while operating the car at home. At some point, one of the discs fell off, but I didn’t notice it until later. This may have been user error; I might not have had the disc properly attached to the post when setting it on the track. The car derailed several times during operation with the locomotive, but when I removed the engine and pushed the car by hand, it did not derail. Eventually, I got rolling and had no problems. The car picked up a lot of dirt from the rails from about 10 trips around the layout.
I had co-worker Lucas Iverson borrow the car to test on the Milwaukee Lionel Railroad Club’s club layout to run on both their tubular and scale track. He had no problems and the car picked up a lot of dirt using an 0-6-0 switcher at slow speeds. Perhaps the key is going slowly, or perhaps the tight curves and lack of a lot of straight sections on our home layout was to blame. I suppose adding the Goo Gone could make a difference too.
Overall, this is a useful car that I will keep on hand for both troubleshooting and track cleaning.
I’d love to get more input from anyone who has purchased this car and used it on tubular track. Please leave a comment with your experiences.
MTH Track Cleaning Car with Power Meter (RB2024/20-94756)
Features: AC or DC operation, motorized cleaning discs, replaceable peel and stick cleaning pads, working voltmeter, O-27 operation
MSRP: $349.95
Website: rossswitches.com, 800-331-1395
