My arsenal of cleaning tools consist of the following

• Cleaning blocks 1 non-abrasive and 1 fine abrasive.
• Wet cleaning car.  The "N-2" from Centerline.  The N-2 roller is covered with replaceable cleaning cloths.
• Dry cleaning car.  The "Eliminator" from AZTEC with the Cratex® roller 3 brushes and a bar magnet.
• Goo Gone as cleaning solution.  It has a pleasant smell and I believe that it leaves a very thin layer of oil behind as well as acting a cleaning agent.
• Microbrushes

Cleaning method
The best cleaning method that I use is to run my trains regularly.  By regularly I mean weekly if possible, but this is not always the case.  When that can not happen and things need some help I use the dry cleaning car that  is being pushed by the locomotive behind the locomotive I have the wet cleaning car.

Mainline and passing sidings
Both cars work on similar principles.  The roller in both is designed to slip on the rails as it turns causing a scrubbing action.  The reason I use both at the same time is,  by pushing the dry car it has a chance to knock off the dirt and corrosion, dust the rails and pick up any ferrous metal that may have happened upon the layout (not very common but it has picked up a track nail).  Pulling the wet car permits a washing effect and it too picks up the dirt from the rails.  Since the roller in the dry car is not designed to get cleaning agents on it.  I use just enough Goo Gone to get the roller cover wet but not dripping.  I run my loco at a speed that keeps things moving but allows the Goo Gone to dry before the setup has a chance to run over it again.  Normally I will run around the track a max of 3 times, this is usually all that is needed.  

Stub end sidings
Stub end sidings are not so easily done since getting the wet car in means when backing out or if I push it in the loco is running in wet Goo Gone both can cause mud to get onto the locos wheels which is counter productive.  With the stub end tracks I will usually just push the dry car in  and pull it back out a few times.  There are times when I have to get the clean blocks out.  They usually come out of retirement for just a couple reasons.  Installing new track.  That's right new track needs to be cleaned.  You don't have any idea how many dirty, sticky or oily hands have been handling it.  Furthermore if you are like me you may have a supply of it and it has oxidized while being in storage.  Another reason to use the cleaning blocks is to remove any of the scenic materials that may have gotten on the track while working in the area.  Some times there is a spot that the cleaning cars can not get the job done, I'll use the blocks there. When I have to use the blocks I always start with the least abrasive one first.  Even a fine abrasive can scratch the rails (see the don'ts below).

Dirty wheels
My wheels are never dirty.  If you believe that then we need to talk about some beach front property...I know that all of the wheels get dirty but at this time I want to concentrate on only the locomotive wheels.  When the time comes and it does every so often the wheels on the locos need to be cleaned.  My favorite method is taking the loco to the bench. I'll inspect the wheels under a good light and if needed a magnifier.  Using a set of clip leads I attach the track power to the loco in question.  With the wheels turning I dip a clean microbrush into the Goo Gone.  Placing the microbrush on a wheel.  Most times the microbrush turns black instantly.  Using a second microbrush I will place it dry on the wheel to remove the mud that is now soft.  Using a third microbrush I'll place it on the wheel with some Goo Gone to rinse the wheel.  Using a forth microbrush I'll remove the excess Goo Gone, and put the loco back in service.  This method cleans the wheels without scratching like a knife or a brush will.  Also it does not harm traction tires.

For the wheels of cars I use the following

• A scrap piece of track
• Paper towel or a coffee filter
• Goo Gone

I apply some of the Goo Gone to the paper and place it over the track and roll the car over it. Just a couple of passes and the wheels are clean. I then roll the car over a second paper to help remove any excess Goo Gone.

Update 3/31/10 Recently after reading many comments on the TrainBoard.com about using Alcohol for cleaning wheels on locomotives and rolling stock along with track I have been experimenting using it.

Update 3/2/2011 I added a CMX track cleaning car to my arsenal of cleaning tools. This car has been talked about for many years as being one of the best if not the best track cleaning car available. I have to say that it was the price that had turned me off, and as most things the price kept going up. This car works as well as everyone told me it would. I filled it up with 70% alcohol and pushed it with one loco (Kato GP38 - GD&R 218) around the loop. I had been told that it would take two locos, but since this loco is heavy I tried just one. After about 10 laps the loco started to spin its wheels. This was something I expected at the first thinking that I would need two locos. What I found was that the tank was empty and the pad was dry. Not only was the pad dry, but it had 2 black streaks, thick at the leading edge. Doing a finger wipe on the rail heads my finger came back clean, nothing could be seen with the naked eye. Inspection of the loco wheel showed that they too were spotless. Why oh why did I wait so long? Now I need to the all the other trackage, just need to make the time to do it.

1. I have a friend that has a N-Scale layout that is about 20 X 24 feet.  The major feature on it is the 20 or so track yard that is about 18 feet long.  For years he had been cleaning his track with a chemical track cleaner and an abrasive block.  He noticed that every time he wanted to run his trains the rails were BLACK and the locos were intermittent in their ability to run.  Furthermore the plastic ties became brittle and with the normal contraction and expansion of the rails due to temp changes the rails were coming off of the ties because the "spikes" were snapping off.  He spent hours cleaning the track and never got to run his trains.  He was becoming very frustrated with his layout.  After many years of suggesting different methods to him we visited a layout that had been featured in Model Railroader.  The owner explained that he uses transmission oil to keep his trains running.  Then about six months later I visited my friend and his layout (he is many states away) and we cleaned his track using a cleaning block and applied some transmission oil.  He now has his trains running with very little work each time he wants to run, and the rails are no longer black.  He and I both feel that the chemical cleaner was causing the track to oxidize and turn it black.

2. I had read many years ago that a thin layer of oil would work as a conductor.  I tried it and the trains ran excellently for that session.  The problem I had was the location of my layout (see the History page) and the next time they did not run at all.  My problem was that with all of the dirt falling on the layout from the floor above, the dirt was sticking to the rails and I had oily mud.  The thin layer of oil does work and the key word here is THIN.  To use oil it must be a very thin oil like transmission oil or "Marvel Mystery Oil" and the track HAS to be CLEAN as well as the wheels of the locomotives and cars.  The idea is to use a cotton tipped swab or a microbrush to apply the oil to about 6 inches of track.  Running the trains through this section will transfer the oil to the rest of the layout.  If the layout is very large then you may need to apply oil in a few locations around the layout.  Periodically the oil may need to be reapplied.

If anyone has another method and would like to have it posted here please contact me via the Contact Me page