Wheel Cleaning

[mreagant]

I looked at several posts on this subject and didn't find an exact answer, so here goes.  Current issue of MR has a short piece by Lionel Strang in which he recommends Wahl Clipper Oil for wheel cleaning.  I've used a similar approach  (letting the loco run while restrained on a saturated paper towel), but have used denatured alcohol instead.  I know the problem with alcohol if it gets on paint, but I suspect it is a good deal cheaper than the clipper oil.

I'd be interested in the pros and cons on this issue and any alternative thoughts.

[bogp40]

I use the same method for cleaning. The only thing is, that I use 91% isoproyl alcohol. I feel the denatured can be somewhat aggressive to paint on the loco and any trackwork.

The isopropyl alcohol has only affected any of my equipment that has Dullcoat. Cleaning a weathered F unit one time smudged the cab sides a bit. I left it, looks like some added weathering. Of coarse another coat of the dullcoat will make it disappear. Much more serious damage may occur using the denatured or some use laquer thinner with is worse. Some swear by Wahl clipper oil, I think that was great for helping keep the brass rail clean, but spreading oil on the rails of nickle silver is just asking to attract dirt, loose traction and possibly allow crud to spread fron rolling stock wheelsets. Cleaning track w/ a track cleaning car that has been mentioned countless times in previous threads is a much better approach in my mind.

[tankertoad70]

At the Mt Hood club, we use the same method for cleaning, but use Naptha as the cleaning agent.  It evaporates quickly and leaves no residue.  It it does get on the lokey or other painted surface, it readily wipes off and leaves no paint damage.

[lvanhen]

Tankertoad, I hope you guys don't smoke!!!!!

[selector]

I haven't found an engine of mine yet that needs tire cleaning, but I have found some plastic wheeled rolling stock that is cruddy.  My quick fix is to invert the object, freeze the axle with my finger or thumb, and then use a small piece of stripwood, on its end, to scrub the tire surface.  It is quick and effective.  I'll even use a utility knife blade laid close to flat atop the tire surface and I spin the tire...works fairly well.  The whole car takes maybe 60 seconds, plus another 15 to get it on the rails and into the consist.

-Crandell

[LenS]

I remove the wheelsets from the trucks, soak a cloth rag in 91% Isopropyl and hold the wheelset with my left hand. I hold the rag on my thumb and forefinger of my right hand, spinning the wheelset with my left. Some heavy pressure by my finger and thumb nails removes 99.8% of all the junk on my plastic wheels after about 3 spins. Been doing this for each and every car I purchase, either new or used (unless I'm adding metal wheels).

 Len S.

[LenS]

I just realized you were speaking about locomotives. Another Senior moment!!!!

As the great Emily Litella once said on Saturday Night Live .... "Oh, that's a very different story ..... Never Mind!"

Len S.

 

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

LenS

I remove the wheelsets from the trucks, soak a cloth rag in 91% Isopropyl and hold the wheelset with my left hand. I hold the rag on my thumb and forefinger of my right hand, spinning the wheelset with my left. Some heavy pressure by my finger and thumb nails removes 99.8% of all the junk on my plastic wheels after about 3 spins. Been doing this for each and every car I purchase, either new or used (unless I'm adding metal wheels).

That's fine for cars but for locos it can get labor intensive real quick. There are two methods I use. #1 is the Kadee Speedi-Driver cleaner brush. Just clip the leads to the rails, dail up the address of loco (if DCC), crank up the throttle and gently hold the brush against the wheels. Some say this scratches the wheels but I've been using it for years and have yet to have a problem. #2 is the paper towel/alcohol method. I use the tough shop towels as they don't tear easily and in most cases can be washed out and reused.

[loathar]

LenS

I remove the wheelsets from the trucks, soak a cloth rag in 91% Isopropyl and hold the wheelset with my left hand. I hold the rag on my thumb and forefinger of my right hand, spinning the wheelset with my left. Some heavy pressure by my finger and thumb nails removes 99.8% of all the junk on my plastic wheels after about 3 spins. Been doing this for each and every car I purchase, either new or used (unless I'm adding metal wheels).

 Len S.

For cars, try laying down an old piece of track and putting a paper towel over it. Squirt on some of your favorite wheel cleaner and run the car back and forth through the cleaner. MUCH easier than pulling all the wheels out and doing them by hand. I use Goof Off followed by alcohol. Gets em clean as a whistle!

[nik .n]

 When my Dad dug up his old HO stuff, he found the pride of his fleet, the SD-45-2 in EL colors, spluttering and humming instead of puling the 30 car trains he used to remember. He found that one of the bearings were frozen, and with oil it unfroze. That took care of the humming, but not the spluttering, so we aligater clipped it to a power pack, chucked up that spongy abrasive thingy in the dremil, and opened the powerpack up while we touched the dremil to the wheels. It worked like a charm.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

nik .n

 When my Dad dug up his old HO stuff, he found the pride of his fleet, the SD-45-2 in EL colors, spluttering and humming instead of puling the 30 car trains he used to remember. He found that one of the bearings were frozen, and with oil it unfroze. That took care of the humming, but not the spluttering, so we aligater clipped it to a power pack, chucked up that spongy abrasive thingy in the dremil, and opened the powerpack up while we touched the dremil to the wheels. It worked like a charm.

Don't try this with a decoder equipped loco unless you disconnect the decoder from the motor prior to connecting DC power direct to the motor. If you don't disconnect the decoder first you'll fry it.

[dstarr]

 The paper towel method works well for me for both locomotives and cars.   I just pulled three Athearn GP-38's out of boxes in which they had been living for several years.  A quick go on a GooGone damp paper towel cured their hesitation.  I use GooGone for a solvent, finding it more effective than alcohol.  Back before GooGone I used denatured ethanol (shellac thinner), but I find the Googone is more aggressive.  Of the various cleaning solvents out there, alcohol is the "safest", i.e. least likely to eat something it should not.  It evaporates completely leaving no residue.

  Wahl hair clipper oil is legendary.  For at least 30 years, maybe longer, some modelers have advocated a very thin coat of Wahl oil on track as a cure for poor pickup, arcing, track wear, and dandruff. There was an article by an advocate in Rail Model Craftsman long ong time ago. Other modelers swear that any trace of any kind of oil on track attracts dirt and causes traction problems.  Both camps can be very committed on the issue.  Personally I'm neutral, but I don't oil the track on my home layout. 

[jrbernier]

  All the above methods work - to a degree.  Goo Gone does leave a residue that collects dirt/gunk.  Wahl clipper oil will work fine as long as you do not over do it.  The big problem with the oil is that it too attracks gunk.  I know it does not seen to attack the plastic on clippers(maybe they are all metal), but I suspect it may attack plastic wheel sets.  After using any of these products, wipe the rail with a clean rag and see of there is any residue.  I use lacquer thinner in a CMX track cleaning car to make sure the rails are 'dry'.  I also use only metal wheels on my cars - I hate dirty track!

Jim

[wholeman]

I used to use WD-40 soaked in a paper towel and clean the wheels by running the loco/car over the paper towel.  I found out later that the WD-40 will leave pits in the plastic escpecially on the the gear box covers of the locos.  I now use rubbing alcohol.

 

[alanprocter]

I have used STP fuel injector and carburetor cleaner/additive and the paper towel method.  This was based on a recommendation some years ago that I saw in a post.  Does anyone know if this is a problem?

Alan

[jacon12]

 For years I've used a paper towel on the tracks with Goo Gone, restraining the engine etc. but I also then use a clean towel to get any residue off the wheels.

For track cleaning on the club layout and on my home layout, we now use CRC electrical grade Contact Cleaner, a quick drying forumla that leaves on residue and is plactic safe.  The can says extremely flammable so the usual precautions should ALWAYS be taken.

Sometimes for track cleaning I still use a 'Bright Boy' type cleaning bar/block/thingy.

Jarrell

[jeffrey-wimberly]

alanprocter

I have used STP fuel injector and carburetor cleaner/additive and the paper towel method.  This was based on a recommendation some years ago that I saw in a post.  Does anyone know if this is a problem?

Only that most petroleum products have a nasty habit of attacking plastic.

[mreagant]

After mulling over the various suggestions/approaches  in this thread, I decided to try 91% alcohol on a paper towel to see what happened.  My old Athearn SW8 left a bunch of black stuff on the towel, which did not surprise me.  What did surprise me was I got about as much gunk off the wheels of a Kato NW2 that I've had for 8 or 10 years, but had never been run.  Been in the box the whole time.  I just got it back after a sound decoder install and it sounded good, but ran very jerky.  I did some serious Bright Boy work on a section of track and that helped some, but after cleaning the wheels, it zips right along.

The Kato does have one annoying problem.  If it suffers even momentary power loss (e.g., dirty spot on track ) it stops and goes through its whole rev-up/start up cycle again.  Trying to sort that out is my next objective.

[loathar]

mreagant

 

The Kato does have one annoying problem.  If it suffers even momentary power loss (e.g., dirty spot on track ) it stops and goes through its whole rev-up/start up cycle again.  Trying to sort that out is my next objective.

Yep, I've got a Bach F9 with an MRC sound decoder that does the same thing once in a while. DCC sound locos seem to be a lot more sensative to dirty track.

[DavidGSmith]

 The April 2009 Scale Rails (the NMRA monthly mag) had an article on cleaning wheels using different methods with a chart showing results. If you are not a member but know someone that is, you could see if they would lend it to you. I found it very in formative.

Dave

[modelmaker51]

Wahl's clipper oil is different from regular lubricating oils. It's more like a cutting or drilling lubricant as it's primary purpose is to keep the clipper blades sharp and clean. If you put some on a finger and rub it, you feel resistance, not that oily slippery feeling of regular oil. Clipper oil actually increases traction a few percent contrary to what one would expect. It keeps dirt off the wheels by actually suspending it in the oil making for better wheel to rail contact. It also virtualy elimininates arching, which is the major cause of the "black gunk". Recomended practice is to put down a very small drop every 10-15 feet of track, then run a loco or train around 3 or 4 times and the wheels will have spread the oil out. An application can last a couple of months with regular running. Once a year I wipe down all the track with CRC-226 electronic cleaner and start over. I have used it for 20+ years and never had to clean any wheels, (I have about 65% plastic wheels/35% metal wheels). As to expense, the bottle I bought cost about $6 and there's still a third of it left after 20 years.