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How to Clean an N Scale Track

While there is a special train car designed to clean your N scale tracks, it is quite easy to clean the tracks yourself in less than 30 minutes. Tracks should be cleaned at least twice monthly, or more often if dust or dirt is in the air or if the tracks have been subjected to any unusual conditions.

Things You'll Need

Vacuum with soft bristle attachment
1,500-grit steel wool
WD-40
2 felt pads
White glove

Instructions

- 1
  Remove all train cars and vacuum the entire track using a soft bristle attachment on the vacuum. Do not scratch the track with the plastic edges of the attachment; only touch the soft bristles to the track.
- 2
  Sand your track using 1,500-grit steel wool. Stand in the direction of the track and use light pressure. The track should feel perfectly smooth to the touch when you are finished with the steel wool.
- 3
  Spray a light coating of WD-40 onto a felt pad and then rub your track with the felt pad.
- 4
  Buff your track with a separate (clean) felt pad until the track is totally dry and appears shiny and clean.
- 5
  Put on a white glove and rub one finger along one of the rails of the track. Check the glove for any black streaks. If black streaks appear, buff the track one additional time with a clean and dry felt pad.

Model Railroads