Lionel Flat Car Track Cleaner Addon

thingiverse

Track cleaning cars are expensive for O Gauge models. I've seen some cost more than $100, and that's a price I'm not willing to pay. I have a beat-up Lionel 6-17407 Flatcar that I've been using with a wadded up scotch bright pad screwed into the bottom. It was time to give this setup a professional makeover. Parts needed: A cheap flat car or box car to modify with cleaning pickups Two M2.5 x 10 screws. You can buy them in bulk on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N8XJVHQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. One round 8-32 inch x 1-1/2 inch machine screw with nut. Home Depot often has them cheaper, but you can find a similar one on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Group-7668-Machine-8-32-Inch/dp/B000BQW6AA/ref=sr_1_9?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1487882293&sr=1-9&keywords=8+32+round. A package of scotch bright pads. You can find them cheaper locally, but you can buy a pack on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Brite-Heavy-Industrial-Scouring/dp/B003FYJ83S/ref=sr_1_cc_1_a_it. To install: Print the parts as shown in the file. Push the 8-32 screw through the bottom part with the large indentation so it sits flush. You may need to drill it out slightly for a smooth fit. Push the top down onto the screw. The indention's are designed for button head M2.5 screws, so they'll sit flush. Cut a scotch bright pad to size. I get two cleaners from one pad, and it's designed to require only one cut of the pad. Place the pad inside the opening like you would sandpaper in a block, then tighten down the two M2.5 screws until they hold the pad firmly in place. Drill an 8-32 hole into the bottom of the car you'll be using as your cleaning car, and slide the whole setup in. Tighten down the nut to secure it. Depending on the car height, you may need to add a spacer so that the scrubber is always touching the track. Load up the car with something heavy to keep the wheels on the track. Ideally, the scrubber will be compressed slightly. In my example, I printed two of these and placed them right behind the wheels, out of the way of scenery material. It's working really well, and I'll add a video once I've completed the car fully. I've also added a container that can be printed for a flatbed to hide the screws and hold extra weight. It's based on a design from Thingiverse at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:38392, but heavily modified to fit O Scale size and accommodate two of these cleaning setups in each car. The container has been resized and scaled up to fit the cleaning setup perfectly, and I've added a removable top with a lip that locks into place without glue. This makes it easier to print with minimal support needed, and you can still access the screws by removing the top. My goal is to hide the components so the flatcar looks like any other car on the track. Print Settings: Printer: XYZ Printing Davinci Mini Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.2mm Infill: 10-20% Notes: I recommend printing thicker walls since you'll be using screws with this setup. You must print the container with supports, which are easy to remove after printing. If your printer tends to get a lot of pull-up on edges, consider adding a brim to the container for extra support.