Tidy Track - Rail Tracker: Review

Woodland Scenics are responsible for countless model railway essentials such as ballast, trees, terrain moulds and elevation supports made out of foam. But never before have I looked at any of their tools such as this track cleaning 'wand'. It comes complete with a set of cleaning pads and a bottle of track cleaning solution. But how good is it? Let's see...

Other Hints & Tips:

The Your Model Railway Village Series:

The N Gauge Project:

All other video, sound effects, graphics and photographs are my own.

[SDJRF]

Excellent review as always mate! Well you have sold it too me! I am for ever cleaning my layout (ever time before runs). It takes hours. I have tried and though about a number of ideas and products, but non seem to get the dirt off as well as the good old Hornby Track rubber. Although I find it very tiring, reaching over to the tracks at the back and am for ever getting my hand stuck in the tunnels. LOL! This product seem perfect (think I can stick to the good old Hornby rub on the points though). So will give this a go! Thanks for reviewing it!  

[ollychap]

You turn the pads over to the non grooved side to do the points .

think it says that in the manual

[capmodesty]

In the booklet it did say for points and turnouts that you turn the pads upside down instead of using the grooved sections.

[nicholasanderson]

You turn the pad over to smooth side   to do points and crossings

[jacobgrew]

In the manual it says to turn the grooved pads over to do points.

[LocoMotionOfficial]

I had a hornby four wheeler wagon to clean track but it wasn't heavy enough for the abrasive pads to rub the track- so I got some lead weights and chucked them in the body shell. Now it cleans track but wears out motors 

[jacobporrett]

Great review well done. I'm happy with Track Magic because it does the job for me.

[Philiamq]

Will, read the instructions again, I'm sure it said turn the pads to flat side to clean points..

[CallingAllStations]

You've got it spot on saying this is a nice supplement to a good track (and stock) cleaning regime, and as you say you can't beat a cloth and some elbow grease. To be honest though you can fashion something very similar to this for those hard to reach places yourself. I attach a piece of soft cloth soaked in track cleaning fluid to the underside of a weighted wagon - such that it's in contact with the rails but not so much that it would derail it. I then get a loco to push it round the layout a few times so it gets to those hard to reach places - a lot less effort! Of course this is still no substitute for manual cleaning and the best solution for cleaning hard to reach places is - don't design your layout with hard to reach places in the first place! Use removable panels so that you can really give it a good clean every once in a while. And one final word to those using abrasives - stay away! they will rub grooves in your track allowing dirt to build up quicker which will transfer to your stock in no time. I used to use abrasives like the track cleaning car and rubber and am now sadly paying the price. 

[avlisk]

A dedicated track-cleaning car with pads on the bottom, and fluid from an on-board reservoir is much easier. Simply run it in a special work train or in a regular old freight/goods train. It'll do 99% of your track. A cloth and finger will get the final 1% of track or where you've spilled plaster or other gunk. 

[JulieAV]

For points, what about turning the grooved pads upside down?

[stvskey]

Fantastic review as always  but the CMX track cleaner is the way to go isn't cheap but works so very well.  

[jacobwilson]

Another brilliant Video InterCity82 .. Well done. I enjoyed every second of this Review, but I am not sure that it will beat proper elbow grease work. It's really just another product to catch your eye in a Model Shop making you think it's better than using a cotton wool ball or something when you find it's not as good as you think it is when you start using it. Really, I would only get it if I had a big layout with hard reach areas and tunnels, and that's it, for places, I would use a cotton wool ball. Also, from 24:44 - 29:59, in the background inside the house, what is that LEGO building? Is it from a LEGO set or your own creation, and what are you going to use it for InterCity82 .?

[Will-Xaru]

Awesome video! Can you do more videos on products for your trainsets? I'd love to see a series testing products like this.

[nicholasanderson]

Great piece of kit use it on "N" and "OO" gauge and find it very good

[streamleazefishhouse]

"common open up.... ow it's a tight fit" did I turn onto a carry on film?

[fullyfuelled]

can you please do a vidio of the class 6p patriot. thanks jack.

[veronicasilverwood]

If all else fails read the instructions, you turn the pads over to clean points. I feel you should post a correction?

[TerminalSports]

Good video, I'll keep that in mind when I start my HO scale layout...which will be a long time from now unfortunately. 

But I am going to leave a recommendation for a possible locomotive review. The USATC S160 class 2-8-0 steam locomotive. 

[bradleylangton]

can you do a review of the class 91 by Hornby because its a great tain