Posted by Model Railway Maintenance
Model railways can be a rewarding hobby when everything is running well. When things begin to go wrong, it can get frustrating fast and that is why it is important to maintain your model railway to the best of your abilities.
Maintaining Model Railway Track
The first step is to ensure that you use the same track throughout your model railway layout. This may sound silly, but some manufacturers have various types of track in the same scale and mixing and matching can lead to problems later down the line.
Cleaning your Model Railway
When laying the track during the building phase, take your time, patience is the key here. Ensure all the track joins up securely and is aligned to one another. If you have your model railway in the loft or shed, then during warmer summer months and the extreme cold of winter try to keep the space at a level temperature. Either by using portable heaters or fans. Extreme variations in temperature can cause your model rails to buckle and flex. Repairing that can be a time-consuming process!
Cleaning Model Railway Track
Even if you keep your model railway in a clean space there will be dust and bits of fluff present which will go unnoticed. Using a small mini vacuum or a paint brush can help you get rid of the dust, just ensure that whatever scenery in the area being cleaned is securely in place first. You don’t want to find you vacuumed the flower beds from the station’s gardens!
Over time, the rails themselves will get dirty. Accruing oil and other bits of debris. There are special tools to help clean the track. Some are more realistic, with cleaning locomotives that you can run around your layout, others are simply an abrasive rubber tool to run along the piece of track. If you can safely cover your layout without damaging the scenery it is highly recommended.
Keeping your track and layout clean can significantly improve the running of all your locomotives and lengthen their life span!
Maintaining and Cleaning Model Trains
Regular cleaning of your model trains can help to ensure smooth operation and extend their run lifespan. Use a can of compressed air from a distance to spray away any excess dust or even a camera air blower. Be sure to not blast any small parts as you may cause some damage. Then use a dry clean cloth or brush to run over the wheels.
For harder to remove dirt from the train wheels, try using an earbud dipped in isopropyl alcohol (only a small drop) and run it over the areas. Remember this alcohol will remove paint so try and avoid any painted areas and avoid it dripping into the internals of the locomotive.
If the isopropyl alcohol fails to remove the dirt from the wheels then the next tool is likely to work. The Minitrix train cleaner is a tool that is placed on the track. When power is applied to the rails it is picked up by this tool and sent to the locomotive sitting on top, turning the wheels on wire bristles, removing any dirt in the process.
Maintaining the Electronics of your Model Railway
One of the most frustrating things to go wrong on a model railway are the electronics. There will be metres of wire underneath the baseboard, controlling the power to the rails, switches, signals, and other electrical items. Be sure to clearly label every wire while constructing your layout. Keep the wiring neat and tidy using cable ties and loops. It is recommended to avoid soldering when you can and use a secure connection and many of the modern clips are very reliable, preventing wires from coming loose.
Regular testing is a great way to keep your model railway running well. It can help to identify and fix and problems before they develop into more serious problems. Make sure to test all of the trains in your collection and accessories on your layout so that they work properly the next time you use them.
