Track Cleaning Tool: Z, N, & HO-scale Model Trains

05 January 2026: Now available is a storage tray designed to hold the Z-scale and/or N-scale cleaning tools.

30 December 2025: These cleaning tool are now at Version 2. The changes improve the clamping performance by reducing the distance between the handle-side and track-side magnets by a factor of 2 (3.2mm down to 1.6mm). Another change was to adjust the pitch and depth of the teeth for a better grip on the cleaning cloth. And finally, the printing orientation of the track-side object has been flipped, and the use of brims has been revised for all of the objects on the plate.

Here is a cleaning tool that makes using “Handi Wipes” (https://a.co/d/85fppZT) or similar cleaning cloths to clean train tracks easier. I have been using cleaning cloths with Goo Gone (https://a.co/d/iKZDl8T) for years to clean my Z-scale tracks but I find it difficult to do without the rubbing or disrupting the ballast that sits between the rails. So now that I have a 3D printer, I've designed a tool to hold the cloth and address this problem. 

 

Other cleaning fluids can also be used, for example some isopropyl alcohol. When using Goo Gone, I use two cleaning tools, one dampened with the cleaning fluid and one dry to help remove any remaining fluid from the cleaned track before running trains over them.

 

Three main profiles are available, one for a Z-scale tool, one for an N-scale tool, and one for an HO-scale tool. Included with each profile is a cloth cutting template. Each tool is designed to be use with or without the extension handle. The extension handle is designed to clip into place but it does require a bit of care in doing so without over-extending the connecting arms of the handle - start by placing one of the arm pivot points into the receiving hole of the cleaning tool and then gently work the other arm over the edge of its receiving hole such that it all clips into place. 

 

A fourth profile is for a low-profile Z-scale tool for cleaning tracks under catenary wiring - thanks to @pgaudoux for testing help during the development of the low-profile design.

 

Four (Eight for HO) 8mm x 3mm round magnets (available as CA008 from Maker's Supply) are required to hold the tool together with the cloth captured between. I've also used some similar magnets (https://a.co/d/gPSs7EE) acquired from Amazon. When installing the magnets, they are inserted into the magnet holes on the non-teeth side of each tool half and make sure that the polarity of the magnets are properly aligned before gluing them in place. 

 

Note: I've discovered that while the magnets all claim to be 8mm in diameter, there is enough variation that some fit snugly and others fit loosely. If you have some that are loose fitting, adding a bit of CA adhesive can be used to keep them in place permanently. In the less likely case that you find your 8mm magnets very difficult to insert, you can try using a file or knife to widen the edge of the holes a bit - even though the holes are the same diameter, I've found this is more likely to happen on the track-side piece than the handle-side piece.

 

Storage Tray for Z-scale and N-scale cleaning tools

 

As I need to carry my cleaning tools with me to train shows where I exhibit my layouts, I've developed a storage tray to carry a number of tools along with extra cleaning cloth and the scissors needed to cut individual cleaning pads. Note that the tool slots are compatible with either the Z-scale or N-scale tools, and the slots for the template and cleaning pads are also compatible with either scale. And note that you can fold up an uncut extra cleaning cloth to keep in the covered tray as illustrated below.

 

   

Please note that even as I designed the tray for Version 2 of the cleaning tools, I made sure that the original cleaning tools also fit in this tray although having a cleaning pad pre-installed on those original tools might make it a tight fit in the slots.

 

Note: While the storage tray profile is based on use of the standard Textured PEI build plate, you might consider using a different build plate such as the carbon fiber patterned plate that I used to make my copy of the tray lid.

 

The triangular side compartment is for my scissors (https://a.co/d/5to1bTQ) and some additional helpful hand tools that I often need at a show. 

 

For anyone with an interest in seeing more of the Z-scale train layout featured in the pictures, you can check out my website: https://z-activities.squarespace.com/.

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