The easiest and best way I have found for cleaning older open frame motors like Tyco's had and early Athearns etc. is a simple pencil eraser. With the shell removed of course take an eraser on gently rub the armature with an eraser until it shines like a new penny. You'll have to keep turning the motor with your finger untill you can get all sides of the armature. I have done wheels the same way but it gets tiresome.
I purchased one of those wheel cleaning brushes you hook to the track power and when you touch it to the wheel sets the power form the track makes the wheels turn and the brass brush cleans em up nicely. What I've also seen done is wet a paper towel with electrical contact cleaner or even some times a dry one will work depending on how bad the wheels need to be cleaned. Hold the engine with you hand as one set of wheels are on the paper towel. Turn the power pack up to full tilt and gently lower the spinning wheels wheels on to the paper towel. With in a few seconds the wheels wil shine like brand new.
As far as lubricating goes I use Label oil with one of those needle applicators. only a few drops on each axel are usually needed. On some old crusty engines I have had to remove the plate on the bottom of the power trucks and clean them with a Q tip and then use a little Lubriplate #130-AA grease.
broseberry Thanks Tom and Darth, all of your suggestions will be very helpful. I only have a few Tyco diesel locos. The rest of my collection is a mix of Athearn, Bachmann, and others that I have been collecting over the last 12yrs. Im in the process of building my first layout and have realized the All of my locomotives have been sitting in boxes for so long that they either stall or dont move at all. I have about 20-30 locomotives that I will be cleaning and getting back to running condition. Any other tips or ideas are much appreciated. Thanks Bryan.
Thanks Tom and Darth, all of your suggestions will be very helpful. I only have a few Tyco diesel locos. The rest of my collection is a mix of Athearn, Bachmann, and others that I have been collecting over the last 12yrs. Im in the process of building my first layout and have realized the All of my locomotives have been sitting in boxes for so long that they either stall or dont move at all. I have about 20-30 locomotives that I will be cleaning and getting back to running condition. Any other tips or ideas are much appreciated.
Thanks
Bryan.
Using spray tuner cleaner to blast the gunk out of the mechanism and cleaning the pickup wheels with an eraser applies to just about any make and model locomotive. If they've been sitting in storage for a long time, or I picked one up used, this is where I start, before even thinking about applying power to it.
Once you get them running, for reliable operation, have two tools on hand: 1) an NMRA check gauge for your scale, and 2) a Kadee coupler height gauge. Learn how to use these and screen every car and locomotive before they go on the layout, and recheck them any time one of them gives you trouble. They're called "standards" for a reason.
Bryan,
If you need any tips getting your Athearns up and running or just want to improve their performance, here are two very good tuneup guides:
http://www.mcor-nmra.org/Publications/Articles/Athearn_TuneUp.html
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
You're welcome.
There are quite a few people here who will give you the suggestion that you should get rid of diesels by Tyco and Bachmann. But I say if you can keep them running, have fun! I've got some Tyco and Bachmann diesels that work pretty well after a little tuning.
You'll probably find that your Athearns will last the longest. They're well known for their reliability and ease of maintenance.
_________________________________________________________________
Bryan check your in box
ratled
Modeling the Klamath River area in HO on a proto-lanced sub of the SP “The State of Jefferson Line”
broseberryIm getting ready to start cleaning and lubing alot of locomotives. The majority of what I have are older locomotives. I have several locomotives that are made by Tyco.
Are they steam or diesel? Except for the Chattanooga Choo Choo, their steam engine drives are completely different from their diesels. They also have two different types of drive trucks for their diesels (one has large motor driving a worm over each axle, the other has a tiny motor driving a large, thin reduction gear).
What is the best way to clean locomotives?
Take them apart as well as you can. Clean the axles with something like a paper towel, and use a toothbrush for the gears. Soap and water may help (don't wash the motor in water).
What can be used to remove lube/oil from plastic gears?
A toothbrush works easiest, but sometimes I use a Kleenex over my finger nail instead.
What is the best way to clean bushings?
Those are pretty tough. Sometimes, I take a tiny piece of Kleenex or paper towel and gently push them through with something like a toothpick. For the ones that are larger and more open, Q-tips work well.
Any other methods of cleaning old and new locomtives are greatly appreciated.
A Walthers Bright-Boy can be used for cleaning metal wheels. For those spots at the flanges where the B-B might not reach, I use a Kleenex or paper towel over my finger nail(s). I also use the Kleenex and nails method for cleaning plastic wheels.
broseberry Im getting ready to start cleaning and lubing alot of locomotives. The majority of what I have are older locomotives. I have several locomotives that are made by Tyco. What is the best way to clean locomotives? What can be used to remove lube/oil from plastic gears? What is the best way to clean bushings? Any other methods of cleaning old and new locomtives are greatly appreciated. Thanks Bryan
Im getting ready to start cleaning and lubing alot of locomotives. The majority of what I have are older locomotives. I have several locomotives that are made by Tyco.
Bryan
First, you'll get the knee jerk reply from the uninformed to junk them if they're Tyco. Allow me to offer a more informed view.
The name "Tyco" covers several generations of locomotives so the procedures for each are not the same. There are basically two types of power trucks, look at the bottom to tell these apart. If there's a metal plate between the wheels, this is the older, more durable, and one worth working on. If there's a plastic plate between the wheels, well, I hope you like them as a static display.
First, remove the weight between the trucks, usually held in with two screws from the bottom. Then remove the power and idler trucks from the locomotive body. These are held in by tabs that you'll need to spread the body carefully to release. The GP20 and C430 will require a bit of manuvering to get the coupler out through the pilot.
The cleaning question, I'll address as two parts, mechanism and body. For the body, use a sponge swab, like the type used as a makeup applicator (check your local dollar store). Start with plain water and clean walkways, top, and any dirty surface of the body that needs cleaning. If this doesn't work, mix up a little dish detergent with water and clean again, rinsing with another swab.
Cleaning the mechanism is best done with spray tuner cleaner, I think Radio Shack still carries it. Hold the motor truck by the coupler tab over a trash can and use it to "hose" the gunk out of the motor unit and gears. Be careful the cleaner doesn't bounce back in your eyes. Let the cleaner and gunk drip into the trash can. Look closely and remove any fuzz from the mechanism with tweezers. Get a plastic compatable light oil in a needle point bottle, LaBelle is one manufacturer, and apply one drop each to the axles on both sides of the gears (try to avoid the wheel side, this makes it easier to keep the oil off the rails), and to the motor bearings. To get at the motor bearings, you'll notice two round holes in the bottom plate, through these you'll be able to access the bearings with a needle point oiler. Connect leads from your power pack, one to each truck, and test run the motor.
Electrical cleaning, use a typing eraser, I like the type you sharpen like a pencil, and as the motor uns, press it lightly against the metal (brass) wheels to get the surface shiny.