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Post by dave on Feb 3, 2016 16:30:01 GMT -5
Good afternoon....anyone have any experience with the Gaugemaster track cleaner? I am curious if they are worth the cost, how well they work, are they compatible with Rokuhan controllers, etc. Thanks for your input.
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Post by zscalehobo on Feb 3, 2016 17:24:41 GMT -5
Good afternoon....anyone have any experience with the Gaugemaster track cleaner? I am curious if they are worth the cost, how well they work, are they compatible with Rokuhan controllers, etc. Thanks for your input. Rob Kluz just featured this very topic in Ztrack, pick up your back issue here: www.ztrack.com/issues/issues_15.htmlFrank Daniels
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Post by ProgressRail on Feb 4, 2016 7:40:54 GMT -5
Okay...pay $6.50 for back-issue information you can get for free through online/forums or just give him your opinion since he asked? psffht... Dave, don't throw your hard earned money away on a gimmick. Either go to Walgreens and get a box of x200 alcohol pads for $3.99 or get Aero-Car Hobby Lubricants for $7.95; track cleaned, done.
Aero Hobby Lubricants Walgreens Alcohol Pads
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Post by zscalehobo on Feb 4, 2016 8:37:03 GMT -5
Okay...pay $6.50 for back-issue information you can get for free through online/forums or just give him your opinion since he asked? psffht... And this is why we have a forum. Different members present different ideas. Honestly, I do not know much about the Gaugemaster and yet I knew it was just featured in Ztrack magazine. Hence, the hat tip to Rob K's wonderful publication that we all refer to as a go-to location for information. I saw a question that was just covered in detail in print, why not point to it?
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Post by davestubbs on Feb 4, 2016 9:09:01 GMT -5
I own 1 of these units and they do work. The most noticeable thing is they only work with DC. When the unit senses a stall it sends a small spike (voltage I think) that creates a spark between the track and the loco wheels. This arc is supposed to "bake" the dirt off the track and your wheels, and it does do that. The way I use mine is with an AZL SD70 and 2 Marklin cleaning gondolas to pick up residue. If I let my track sit too long the loco under straight DC will stutter and Stall. Once the gauge master is added no more stalling. I let the loco by itself run for 10 min than add cleaning cars to pick up residue and run for another 10. I’ve had it for 3 years of service using the same loco with no problems. I also recommend getting the alcohol pads for once and a while cleaning. My 2 cents, it makes running a DC layout MUCH more fun with far less stalling. Another fun fact, it has a light on it that lights up when it senses a stall and fires. For the first ten min you can watch it go from a fast flicker to almost never going off.
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Post by ProgressRail on Feb 4, 2016 9:26:27 GMT -5
Cool; good call, Frank. I assumed you read the article would just tell him and deal him in on the info; my deepest apologies. And hopefully someone who has a copy and read the article will respond and post it so this man can get his answers. You're right, luckily we do have this forum to share our information, opinions, and protect the integrity of this scale without being nickeled-and-dimed.
Again Dave...imo...don't waste your monies. All the information I've personally come across about it online appears very vague and, for whatever reason, foreign. For $50 with very little information posted and no stats/graphs/data to back it up..? I promise you, using alcohol pads for 4-bucks to frequently clean your track works perfect...just use the extra cash to buy more rolling stock instead! ^_*.
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Post by emaley on Feb 4, 2016 9:41:48 GMT -5
I have a small DC only layout that I intend to add one to soon. I have read other comments that also say it works well. I pull and aztek track cleaning car in my consist and it too is a good unit. After about five laps, things are running like a swiss watch. I also made a cover for my layout from parachute material and two dowels glued to each end for a little weight to anchor it down. It works for me. I have a Si. Bernard that is a wallking hair bomb waiting to go boom and the cover keeps me from constant hair removal from trucks and such. And yes, I use alcohol and coffee filters wrapped around and old disposable razor to give an occasional deep clean to the track. Coffee filters are cheap and don't leave lint. Clean track is a happy track.
That's more than you ever wanted to know about track cleaning, Enjoy.
Trey
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Post by dave on Feb 4, 2016 10:01:54 GMT -5
Good morning....thanks for all of your input.
Dieselflux....I understand what you are saying about spending the $50 but I also know that with Z-scale, there is a price of admission in order for things to run correctly and not be a source of frustration. I have $600 in Z-scale locos (and very likely to go up) and maybe the $50 is well spent to make them run more reliably. Besides, $50 will only buy me one or two pieces of rolling stock.
DaveStubbs....I see that you are using Marklin track cleaning gondolas; do you have a preference to using them vs. an Aztec car?
I highly doubt I will ever go the DCC route so that is no issue for me.
Can I assume that AZL blesses the Gaugemaster as far as not being damaging to their locomotives?
Thanks again for your help.
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Post by davestubbs on Feb 4, 2016 11:22:18 GMT -5
Hi Dave, I have 3 of the Aztec cars and they work great as long as the track is clean enough to keep the engine moving without stalling. The Aztec cars use a rubberized abrasive wheel set at a slight angle to create some drag and not just roll on the track. This leaves a residue on the track just like the gauge master, at least once the rubber wheel starts to build up with dirt. When using my Aztec car I like to follow with maklin gondola as a wiper. This can be done with alcohol wipes as well. I'm just being lazy. Again the best thing about the gauge master is how it keeps the engine from stalling. At that point hook up all the cleaning cars you can, just makes cleaning faster. I do agree with dieselfuelx and Trey that a good alcohol cleaning is important once in a while depending how often you run your trains.
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Post by shamoo737 on Feb 4, 2016 11:59:31 GMT -5
I think its worth to spend the money on it. It keeps the engine from stalling if you are lazy and don't clean the tracks. It works better on the MTL powerpack then on the Marklin.
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Post by theprez on Feb 4, 2016 13:54:20 GMT -5
I was looking at the very short technical note on the gaugemaster site, how do you provide the 16 VAC to the box? It is not sold with a power supply, correct?
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Post by dave on Feb 4, 2016 14:08:04 GMT -5
Good point....I now see that it needs a 16V AC input. It looks as though ZTrack is the only one in the U.S. that sells these and I see nothing listed on their webpage for a power source.
DaveStubbs....what are you using for a power source?
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Post by davestubbs on Feb 4, 2016 14:12:23 GMT -5
Im using the Ac side of my marklin transformer.
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Post by dave on Feb 4, 2016 14:24:55 GMT -5
Does anyone know the Accessory output voltage of the Rokuhan RC-02 and/or RC03 units and whether it is AC or DC? I can find nothing on any website that shows what it is.
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Post by markm on Feb 4, 2016 14:59:37 GMT -5
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