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REVIEW of Bachmann - Ho Rolling Road W/Drive Wheel Cleaning device #39024

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  • Member since
    September 2011
  • 57 posts
REVIEW of Bachmann - Ho Rolling Road W/Drive Wheel Cleaning device #39024
Posted by Industries1 on Friday, August 14, 2020 4:05 PM

 

The basic unit is built OK. The base is stable, and the interior is sound. However, the product as a whole has several deficiencies. Given the cost of this product it should have been better designed and equiped for easy use. Here is what I have found so far:

1- The instructions are bare bones. You have to make a lot of assumptions and trial and error to get it working. "Follow the bread crumbs" project

2 - The cleaning pad is a block of "Styrofoam" type material. You have to cut it in both length and width to fit. The styrofoam piece has an adhesive side. Removing the paper from the adhesive side exposes a insufficiently sticky surface. It will not adhere to supporting structure at all. I had to superglue it in place. If not a strong bond, the styrofoam will just slide off when the loco wheels start moving.

3 - There is no piece in the package to support cleaning of a 3 axle truck. You will need to bond a 2 axle support piece to a single axle support piece. I have not worked out all the details of building this support piece. It just another project to do in order to use the device. Also you will need to build two of the 3 axle supports per 2 truck, 3 axle loco, one for cleaning the other for rollers

4 - In order to position the rollers you will have to adjust 4 of the rollers in order to support 2 trucks (4 axles total). Doing this requires a lot of fussing to get the rollers in position. There is no easy way to record the positions of the rollers for positioning them for cleaning the wheels of other 2 truck , 4 axle locos. For each loco there is a lot of fussing to reposition the rollers to the correct spacing.

5 - For 3 axle truck locos the same problems as listed in 4) above are experienced. Fussing with rollers, no easy way to record positions, no way to lock the rollers in place for use with a group of 3 axle trucks, and binding the rollers together to match a 3 axle truck. 

6 - Spare parts or extra parts are quite expensive, even at a discount.

If you no other projects at your workbench then this product may be for you. If not. I'd suggest using simpler methods to clean loco wheels. There are many.

PS I do recommend INOX cleaner. the best for track and loco cleaning.

Found this video hillarious https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r2L8NSxOnQ

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, August 15, 2020 12:30 AM

Thank you for taking the time to post your results.

Much appreciated Yes  Ed

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