Tomix Track cleaner

[Drunkenclam]

Was thinking about ordering one of these units this week and just wondering what people use to pull them on their own layouts. Seeing as the only thing I have that isn't a passenger train is a class 96 loco. That might look a bit odd. So any recommendations on what I can order with it.

 

 

 

 

[katoftw]

Anything.  It isn't a prototypical train/car, so just run whatever you like.  Match the colour loco to the cleaner.  Buy a loco you have your eye on for a while.

[Drunkenclam]

thats the catch, nothing really jumps out at me execpt the boxy look of the EF510 :D 

 

why is it I see a long line of containers heading my way soon...

[Kiha66]

The tomix 193 series inspection train seems to go well with that model, I've seen quite a few photos of them in use together.

[JR 500系]

Many options to use the track cleaner, though having just one locomotive is better since the track would have been dirty to use the track cleaner in the first place so having as little consist on the track cleaning team as possible is ideal... 

 

Though there are a lot of options around, and like katoftw mentioned, it's not a prototypical model so anything goes with it! Let your imagination run!

 

Some examples I thought of:

 

Coupled with Doctor Tokai?

Coupled with Techno-Inspector and series 1000 for Odakyu tracks?

Coupled with Ballast Regulator KSP2002E ?

Coupled with almost any other inspector trains?

[Pauljag900]

Hey Clam,

it can also be bought as a kit with a locco, Tomix 6433.

i pull mine with. De10 but take it off when I m not track cleaning,it’s quite heavy so not sure how much strain it puts on the locco motor.

just my opinion tho buddy.

[kvp]

Tomix usually packages it with a heavy Bo-Bo locomotive, like an ED75 or similar. The rolling resistance depends on the equipped tools, with the vacuum mode alone being the easiest to haul around.

[JR 500系]

30 minutes ago, Pauljag900 said:

Hey Clam,

it can also be bought as a kit with a locco, Tomix 6433.

i pull mine with. De10 but take it off when I m not track cleaning,it’s quite heavy so not sure how much strain it puts on the locco motor.

just my opinion tho buddy.

 

16 minutes ago, kvp said:

Tomix usually packages it with a heavy Bo-Bo locomotive, like an ED75 or similar. The rolling resistance depends on the equipped tools, with the vacuum mode alone being the easiest to haul around.

 

Interesting point, Clam, you might wanna add two locomotives for better traction and slow speed control... Since one loco if driven slowly might not have the power to drag the cleaner along... especially more so if the track are dirty... 

[Pauljag900]

Well for what it’s worth I clean mine by pulling it with the de10 set on 3/4 power and it works just fine in any mode,all that said my track is flat so I would consider What Kvp and jr500 have just said and maybe use two loccos if you ve got any inclines.

Once you get one and use it I m sure you ll be able to decide for yourself what power you need to pull it and if you should pull it all the time or just for cleaning.What I can tell you is that it is a good bit of kit,especially if you ve got hard to reach places,i m sure we ve all got some of them,well worth the money buddy.

[Yavianice]

I only have 2% inclines and dragging one cleaner car on my EF210 (the one with anti-slip wheels, the one without doesn't manage) does the job when vacuuming or scrubbing without issue on 3/4 th speed. 

[Drunkenclam]

Thanks for the input guys. Looking to order a Kato 10-1337 E231 set plus a cleaning car and something to pull it. 

 

I do have an incline on mine. Sorry. Not sure of the ratio percentage  but it's the kato standard spacing of 10:248 - 1:24.8 

 

Maybe I'll throw a dart at the Kato catalogue hahaha.

 

Of course Tomix did do a starter set 92491 which was an EF210 and 2 loaded koki.

 

 

 

[Drunkenclam]

Thanks for the suggestions. In the end I went for a Kato ED75. So glad I have an account with Amazon JP. Seeing as had to pay 2 lots of Parcefleece protection money today for a box of anime cels and some pachinko ball management parts. Don't mind paying tax when it's due. But the admin fee is a complete rip off.

 

 

[GDorsett]

There is a set that Tomix makes that comes with the cleaning car and an ED61, although none of the colour options are prototypical for the loco. It seems adequate enough to pull this for me, although the brush on the cleaning car tends to hang up on rerailers and several switches in a row, so having a second loco helps if you have lots of consecutive turnouts or sections where the rail head is level with tarmac or similar.