Most model railroaders are familiar with “Bright Boys” and other abrasive means to clean track. It doesn’t take long before oxidation builds up and the cleaning must be repeated or, otherwise, locomotives will stall for no apparent reason. Both the wheels and the track must be relatively free of this oxidation for proper electrical contact to be made. But, what causes the problem? Can it be prevented? The theory is that both the track surface and the wheels have microscopic cracks where electrical arcs deposit an oxide coating on both wheel and rail. Over time this non-conductive oxide coating accumulates enough to result in erratic running.
Cleaning cars, Bright Boys, Sandpaper, Masonite blocks and many other means have been employed, but, no matter how thorough one is, the problem recurs. Yes, the track does get covered with dust, dead skin, insect parts, etc. and that gets removed along with the oxidation. However, it is the oxidation that is the real culprit and there is a way to prevent it. WHAT! Why has this been kept a secret? The answer is that it hasn’t. In an article in the March/April issue of “N Scale Railroading” magazine it was revealed that the “solution” (actually a paste) was promulgated by Kalmbach Publishing on page 26 of a 1965 offering titled “764 Helpful Hints for Model Railroaders”.
Here is a link to a Model Railroad Forum that refers to a 1965 article in which Linn Westcott (1913-1980) extols the virtues of SanChem’s No-Ox-Id “A Special”
The paste is called “No-Ox-Id” (get the “A Special” version) and has been used by the U.S. Navy and the electrical industry for more than 60 years. It is applied to the top of the track as a light coating that is left on for 1 to 2 days. Then it is removed and you should never need to re-apply it. The paste bonds with the track surface and from then on prevents oxidation. You will still need a cleaning car or other apparatus to remove the dust, etc., but, that is far easier than eliminating all of the oxidation and should not be required more than a few times per year. Of course, you should CLEAN THE TRACK BEFORE APPLYING NO-OX.
I bought my supply from Amazon in March 2018. Here is a link to the version of the product, two 2-ounce jars:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y6JSCZ3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Since so little of the product is required, this should be enough for dozens of layouts. It can also be bought directly from the manufacturer (Sanchem, Inc.) Below are URL’s for more information and a Youtube video.
https://www.model-railroad-infoguy.com/no-ox.html
https://www.raildig.com/useful-tools/no-ox-id-for-model-trains/
https://www.sanchem.com/electrical-contact-lubricant.html
Below is a link to a “Ron’s Trains ‘n’ Things” video where he discusses various products that have been tried as track-cleaning agents (e.g. Isopropyl alcohol, Acetone, Wahl clipper oil, Mineral spirits, etc.). In the video he talks about the polar and non-polar property of these various products.
Polarity of some example cleaners (from table at 8:30 in on video):
Minimally Polar
1.8 Kerosene
1.9 WD-40 Contact Cleaner
2.0 CRC Contact Cleaner & Protectant
2.1 Mineral Spirits
2.1 Wahl Clipper Oil
2.2 Turpentine
2.4 WD-40 (Regular)
Moderately Polar:
4.6 CRC 2-26
4.8 Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)
4.8 Rail-zip
4.8 Bachmann Track Cleaner
5.1 Butyl Acetate
6.0 Ethyl Acetate
Highly polar:
18.0 Isopropyl Alcohol
18.9 Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK)
20.0 CRC QD Contact Cleaner
20.7 Acetone
24.0 Vinegar
25.0 Ethyl Alcohol (e.g. Vodka)
31.6 Ammonia Solution
33.6 Lacquer Thinner
47.0 Glycerine
60.0Hydrogen Peroxide
80.4 Water
Model Train Operations 