I use a stick of wood about the size of a ball pen. It is tough enough to rub the paint from the track but too soft to do any harm to the polished surface of the track.
Reinhard
Where did NYC use a H6a light Mikado in 1930-1935? Did they serve smaller branch lines together with a Consolidation? Did they do the required switching on small stations as the Consolidation did it?
The H6a is the USRA Mikado built around 1918-1920. At 1930-35 is was only 10 to 15 years old...