5.N Scale garage layout

[fanie kleynhans]

Finally I have a few new pics, all the open areas have now been plastered and the whole layout given a light brown coat of paint. The difficult part starts now, to scenic it so it looks some what realistic. I will update again as i complete areas around the layout.

[Derek Walker]

Lookin' good..... are you running digital? or analogue?

[John Ashworth]

Fanie, that looks superb. Well done, and please keep sharing more pictures.

[fanie kleynhans]

Derek Im running digital, but I still have a long way to go learning about the programming of the decoders and all the CV's.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Indeed, when I do mine I know who to call on for advice in Cape Town. Fanie how do you clean the rails in the tunnels

[fanie kleynhans]

Stefan the layout is open underneath, so I can clean it that way although its a bit of a pain bending the back to get in there. On the topic of cleaning rails, any tips how to do it? Currently all I'm using is a scrap piece of wood or very fine sandpaper (1200) once in a while.

[Derek Walker]

Someone said to me that the best way to clean the track is to run a train on them everyday. I also have some of the contact cleaner in a spray tin that I spray on a rag and run across the rails. Probably find thats the wrong thing to use.

[fanie kleynhans]

I searched on the web this morning and found a nice idea that I' going to try. Take 3 boxcars or probably any type of car and put small pieces of hardboard below them. One of them stays like it is, the next one gets crocus cloth below it (not to sure what this is?) and the last one gets felt below it that gets wet with a cleaning fluid (what can I use here, the guy mentioned 91% isopropyl alcohol or where can I get this?). Also they all need a bit of weight on top of them.

[Steve Appleton]

In the old days of computers with big reel to reel tape decks and massive disks, we used isopropanol to clean the heads, etc. Very good cleaner because it is non-corrosive and leaves no residues. Used to purchase it from an industrial chemical firm -- Protea Chemicals, I think.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Fanie Sand paper how ever fine will wear you tracks down. You can buy a rail cleaner. It looks like a pencil eraser. Rub it up and down blow the residue away and wipe with a cloth. The Model Railroad shop in Plumstead sale them. Mike Trough .When my wife is not around I use Meths. It makes the house smell but cleans the tracks fantastically. The Loco wheels also have to be cleaned with the same process. The Athearn come apart nicely and clean easy. The Frateschi are the worst to clean. I wish I had a permanent place put it down. I normally use the lounge. We hardly use it as the TV is in the Family room. My table is 5.5m by two strips of 0.6m each. I would like to build a hobbies room on top of the garage. 36sqm of train. My family would never see me.

[Steve Appleton]

Meths (methanol) would be almost as good as isopropanol except that the blue dye and bad flavourant they put in it (to discourage the bergies) leaves a residue after evaporation and may also eventually colour the ballast blue. Isopropanol has no additives and leaves no residue (it evaporates completely) and also smells much less too - it has lounge appeal, Stefan!