Last month (May), a man contacted me through our shared Local Hobby Shop:  He had a 3'x16' HO layout that was half done.  He also had grandsons who are 7- and 8-years old and who really wanted to run trains with Grandpa.

The challenge was that, ever since being diagnosed with cancer a year ago, between the chemo and the medication he just didn't have the energy to continue work on the layout.  So he needed a strapping young man with the muscles and know-how to get the layout done and running well. 

It seems that keeping a layout clean means more than just keeping the clutter off the scenery.  I seem to have a lot of what is so called dustbunnies building up on the layout.  Spiders also seem to find my corners and seem to make webs everywhere I look.  Short of breaking out the monster vacuum, what do you do for general cleaning of said issues, and is there a way of preventing at least the critters from returning? 

The names have been changed to protect the innocent!

I finished up two home made track cleaning cars. The design is simple, a 1x2 for the frame, added trucks and couplers, then a cork cleaning pad glued onto a old car weight. The pad slides across the rails, giving them a good wipe. The pad is held in place by two nails, glued to the top of the weight. I added three nuts to give the car more weight.

I used three of these cars. I push one ahead of a loco, then a second car with Liquid Wrench on the pad, then a third car trailing with a dry cork pad. Works great and keeps things running fine.