HO GAGE RAILROADTRACK CLEANER/VACUUM CAR

My model railroad used to fill a quarter of the basement. Now it’s a circle under the Christmas tree! Thatcreates a major dust problem. The need for a track vacuum was great so I designed one.

The circuit board has a reed switch on each side of the box car. When they come near a magnet, the circuitis alternately switched on/off. My goal is to make a lap counter to push/pull a magnet near the track so thevacuum is on for one lap in every ten or so. But for now, it is turned on and off every other lap by a

Great for testing purposes.

A used filter from my C-Pap machine happens to fit in the box car. Air is drawn into the car from the trackcleaner/vacuum inlet resting on the rails and exits out the top, which is removed for cleaning.

The fan is a 5 VDC brushless type, 25x25x10 mm. It is driven by an 8 volt regulator. A typical 5 volt fan israted at 6 volts maximum. Pushing it to 8 volts is a stretch. The higher voltage increases suction and makesit sound like a vacuum, but shortens the life of the fan. Replacing the fan is extremely simple and easy. It justplugs in!

The circuit board mounting holes align with the mounting holes for the wireless 8 volt camera cars, but that’sanother project.

This vacuum works very well. This is year number 2 (2013). This unit was designed for Digital CommandControl (DCC) but will work with standard throttle controllers, perhaps not as well. There is no need for DCCcontrol. For normal layouts, simply vacuum the tracks a few times, park the car on a siding and turn it offwith a magnet attached to the end of a stick or wand.

magnethoused in a roadside shack.

©2013Lennie Zink

Vacuum plate. Track cleaning/polishing plates.

A roof-walk type car will not work well.A metal roof box car has more inside height.

Springs from ink pens are cut to lightlypush the fan against the car roof. Thefan supports are 12 AWG wire.

Blinking LED may be replaced with anLED strobe circuit (another project).

Electrical pickup detail:Notice the loop in the wireto prevent breakage.

The of the laser-cut axle wiper caused much frustration.The wiper would slip out of alignment. Thewiper is installed in a better fassion.

recommended installation

Wipers are bent aroundthe axle, keeping thepickup aligned properly.

Original wheels had plasticaxles. Replacements arenow warn, but clean.

A dab of adhesive keepssprings in place.

©2013Lennie Zink

Blinking LED may be replaced with anLED strobe circuit (another project).

Metal plate is drilled andtapped for 4-40 screws.

Notch keepsplate in position.

16 AWG wire issoldered onto 3/4”copper pipe. Thewire extends overthe top of the tube.

The track cleaner may be hardboardor PCB. The PCB is restored with aliquid cleaner. The hardboard isrestored by sanding.

©2013Lennie Zink

The holes in the box car arefrom fan position . Thebest ended up as a singlevent in the top.

The end position stirred updust.

Two fans in the top wereattached to the roof. This wasnot a convenient method. The2 fan prototype was noteffective as the fans starvedfor air. It looked and soundedimpressive though!

This view clearly shows that aroof-walk type car would notmake a good presentation.

I only tried ready-to-runAthearn cars. A hobby knifedrawn between the car walland frame breaks the gluespots well. The box is easilyremoved and replaced.

tests

PCB Version:The vacuum tube is

epoxied into the PCB.

The PCB plates areepoxied together.

Hardboard (HB) Version: The HB plateswere glued together. The tube’s tight fitrequired no epoxy.

Wires hold thefilter in place.

©2013Lennie Zink

The tube/plate fixture moves freely up and down. The side inlets clean dust off the rails. There’s enough airflow to do this as well as pick up particles from the track ties. You’ll be amazed!

Reed switches are located onboth sides of car. A magneton the end of a stick makes ahandy on/off device. Notethat the reed switches arelifted off the board andangled against the car wall.

PCB is a snug fit. Test fit theboard before populating it.1/4” threaded hex standoffssecure PCB to car frame.

Hole for blinking LED which has yet tobe made to protrude through the roof.

Caution: The methods I used to make these plates, accessories, and car modifications, could be hazardous.It is your responsibility to use care and caution. You assume all responsibility and liability!

©2013Lennie Zink

This car’s previous rolewas a simple track cleaner(another project).

V3 ©2013VACUUM

LENNIE ZINK

Vacuum TubeBottom Plate

Bottom View3/4”

COPPERPIPE

7/8”HOLE

STEEL ROOF

CAMERA CAMERA

FAN7/8 HOLE

FLOOR

FLOOR

4-40 THREAD#43 DRILL

4-40 THREAD#43 DRILL

8-32 THREAD#29 DRILL

FLOORUse #43 drill bitfor all holes first

ROOFUse #43 drill bitfor all holes first

4-40 THREAD#43 DRILL

LED7/32#50

DRILL

WIRE INLET HOLE7/32#50

DRILL

40 FTATHEARNBOX CAR

1 3/8"

2 1

/2"

0 7

/8"

Print templates and adhere toblocks.

Roof block should be a snug fit.

particleboard Cut/sand to template size.

The FLOOR template is used for boththe Vacuum and Video Camera cars.

CARBODY

16 AWGCOPPER

WIRE

CHAMFER EDGEIS A MUST!

TRACK CLEANINGPLATES MADEFROM EITHERCOPPERLESSPCB MATERIAL

OR 1/8” PRESSEDHARDBOARD

V3 ©2013VACUUM

LENNIE ZINK

Track PoweredPower Supply Switch

Vacuum

GS

D

R2100K

IC1LM7808

IC2CD4069UB

14

1

8

7

8VGND

C0.1

2mF

16VACIN

BR150V 1A

C0.1

3mF

R14M7

IGND

O

R3150/300R

J3 J2

J1

PARTS LAYOUT BOTTOM VIEW

Q1PMV65XP

C11000mF

35V

Q1 (surface mount device) is on foil side.

HO GAGE RAILROADTRACK CLEANER/VACUUM CAR

POWER SOURCE

J1

LM7808

G

I O

IC2ACD4069

1 2

TRACKPICKUPS

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Vss D

Vcc

D

F

F

E

E

CD4069UBHEX INVERTER

3

2

1

5

4

6

C

C

A

A

B

B

GS

D

IC2BCD4069

4 3

7

14

C30.1mF

C11000mF

35v

BR150V 1ABRIDGE

ON/OFFREED SW

R14M7

R2100K

G S

D

LOAD

Q1PHILIPS

PMV65XP

IC1

PRESS ON/OFF LATCHING CIRCUITOriginal: http://www.discovercircuits.com/DJ-Circuits/on-off-latch.htm

C20.1mF J1 BYPASS

JUMPER

0 7/8"

1 "

©2013Lennie Zink

J1 BYPASSFor a constant voltage tothe fan, solder a wireacross the jumper bypassand use only theseelectronic parts:BR1, C1, C2, IC1.

See on parts layout.

Q1 is a surfacemount device.

DO NOT SCALE TO PRINT