I need to clean the wheels on some of my Athearn powered locomotives. What products have you used and had good results? ALSO, how about track cleaning products?
91% alcohol will dilute and remove all of the crud build up on your locomotive wheels and track rails. Just be careful not to get the alcohol on your painted shell because it can soften the paint.
You can generally find 91% alcohol at your local drug store. If it isn't on the shelf next to the 70%, ask the pharmacist if they have any in the back.
I am not keen on any abrasive-type cleaners in cleaning track and find the 91% quite adequate. Lacquer thinner is REALLY good and drys quickly but - again - you have to be VERY careful when using it on track because it can melt and loosen the plastic rail "spikes" that hold the rail to the rail ties.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I use blue paper shop towels and isopropol alcohol.
Set the towel on the track, dampen a bit with the alcohol, and set one truck on the towel and use track power to spin the wheels. Move towel sideways and reverse ends as needed.
Use the same idea on cars, except they must be pushed back and forth.
I like a piece of masonite, or yellow lifelike track cleaners for track cleaning.
Dave
tstage91% alcohol will dilute and remove all of the crud build up
You need to be careful using 91% as it is also a paint striper. At Boothbay RR Village one of our guys was cleaning wheels with 91%, and got some on his fingers. When he set the loco down, he had dissolved some paint detail on the sides of the long hood. I was able to repair the damage.
I use 70% with no problems, to me it cleans just as well.
I put a paper towel on the track, and add some alcohol over the rails. Holding the loco with one hand, I crank the throttle to max with the other. With the wheels spinning, I ease the loco onto the damp paper towel. I have to hold the towel with the other hand. Move the loco back and forth and see the black crud on the towel. Keep running until no additional black appears. Move the paper towel as necessary so you are running on a clean part. Turn the loco around and repeat for the back set of wheels.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
davidmurrayI use blue paper shop towels and isopropol alcohol. Set the towel on the track, dampen a bit with the alcohol, and set one truck on the towel and use track power to spin the wheels. Move towel sideways and reverse ends as needed.
I've seen a video by Cody G. doing this. The blue towels are stronger than regular paper towels.
I gotta try this. Thanks for bringing it up David.
Mike.
My You Tube
davidmurray I use blue paper shop towels and isopropol alcohol. Set the towel on the track, dampen a bit with the alcohol, and set one truck on the towel and use track power to spin the wheels. Move towel sideways and reverse ends as needed. Use the same idea on cars, except they must be pushed back and forth. I like a piece of masonite, or yellow lifelike track cleaners for track cleaning. Dave
That's how I do it, except I usually use GooGone instead of alcohol.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I put rubbing alcohol on a Handy Wipe and then lay it on a section of track which doesn’t have any obstacles blocking it. I turn up the throttle and put one truck of the locomotive on the Handy Wipe and then put the other truck on the uncovered rails. I hold the locomotive slightly off of the track so the wheels can spin freely at full speed. I move the locomotive back and forth so the wheels can be on a clean spot on the Handy Wipe. When I see that the wheels are clean and shiny I do the other truck. I then move the Handy Wipe over a little bit and clean another locomotive. I use Woodland Scenics’ Dust Monkeys mounted on snowplows to clean the track. I use two plows back to back with a pair of locomotives in the middle so I can clean in both directions. Pushing the Dust Monkeys ahead of the locomotives helps keep the locomotives wheels clean.
I poor 91% alcohol onto a thick paper towel and fold it half and set it on the track. I then place one truck on the towel and hold the loco so one truck is powered on the track and the other steady on the towel. Then hit the throttle.
- Douglas
This is almost exactly how I do it, except I usually use a piece of rag. I use light-colored rags so I can see the dirt coming off and when I move it slightly sideways I can tell when any more dirt has stopped coming off. Then switch ends. I use the strong isopropyl alcohol, and it works great, but like others have said, make sure you don't have any trace of it on your fingers when you move or pick up your engine because it WILL leave marks! As for track, I have never had any problems with using bright boys in terms of too much abrasiveness, and I do press down firmly. I know the modern day "wisdom" is to not use them because they leave micro abrasions which enhance dirt accumulation, but I have never observed this effect or it is neglible in my experience
Bubbytrains
I also use blue paper shop towels and 91% isopropol alcohol as in the already describe method..I'm not above using a bright boy on heavy crud.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
G Paine tstage 91% alcohol will dilute and remove all of the crud build up You need to be careful using 91% as it is also a paint striper. At Boothbay RR Village one of our guys was cleaning wheels with 91%, and got some on his fingers. When he set the loco down, he had dissolved some paint detail on the sides of the long hood. I was able to repair the damage.
tstage 91% alcohol will dilute and remove all of the crud build up
George,
That's why I included the following statement in the very next sentence: "Just be careful not to get the alcohol on your painted shell because it can soften the paint." You bring up a very good point though that the alcohol can inadvertently wind up on your shell via your fingers.
For me 70% alcohol just doesn't work as effectively as 91%. I just take the needed precaution in cleaning my driver wheels using the same method that you and several have already mentioned.
I use a aerosol product called "Electrical Contact Cleaner" made by CRC (and others). It dissolves the wheel crud faster than anything else, and won't harm (most) plastics. Liquifies the crud and evaporates FAST!
Mike C.
Though I am in n-scale I think my question applies to all. I have several BLI locomotives with sound. When I attempt to clean wheels on them with the "towel on track" method it is near about impossible to get the wheels spinning at full tbrottle - the sound start up sequence and gradual ramping up of speed is quite frustrating.
I expect there must be a decoder CV I can adjust to by-pass the start up sequence but I have been unable to track it down in manufacturer documents or elsewhere. I would gladly put up with the need to be careful with 91% alcohol if I could get this figured out. Thanks.
Paper towel with isopropyl alcohol as already mentioned.
I also have a WS Tidy Track Loco Wheel Cleaner, but most times, I still use the paper towel method.
The Tidy Track Wheel cleaner I mostly use dry, with the felt pad on it, as a final buff.
Pone thing about the Tidy Track system - If you have steam loco's, you will need two connected together, otherwise the loco won't fit.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
When my steamers need a good cleaning, I flip 'em over on a foam cradle, and use the contact cleaner with a Qtip. I usually use jumper cables to the tender wheels to get power to the drivers. I also, when I have to, use a short piece of track with jumpers attached, to apply power to the loco wheels. With the loco upside down, I can also clean the tender, pilot, and trailing wheels... very important!
I use a brass wire cleaning brush that I put on the tracks that powers the engine which spins the wheels and cleans them. I've had great results with this method.