Best method of cleaning loco wheels?

[SeeYou190]

All my locomotives are DC, so this is pretty easy for me. I clamp the chassis upside down in a vise. I use alligator clips to run power to the motor.

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Once the wheels are turning, I use a bamboo skewer to get the crud off. I can dip the skewer into alcohol if it is nasty crud. The bamboo will mot hurt the drivers.

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-Kevin

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[luvadj]

I have a small wire brush that I chuck in my Dremel. I find that if I wipe the rails down with a piece of cotton tee shirt, I don't have to clean the wheels very often. It also helps that I've changed over from plastic to metal wheels...plastic seems to drag and deposit that crud all over the place ;)

 

[emdmike]

I use 2 methods to clean locomotive wheels, one is the good old Kaydee brand brass wire brush wheel cleaner that you connect to track power and use to polish the wheels and remove that crud.  For unpowered tender wheels and diesels with stubborn crud, I use my rechargeable dremel motor tool with a wire brush in it on the low speed setting.  I use my finger to keep the tender wheel sets from spinning to fast, and a set of test leads to power the diesel engine to rotate its wheels while I polish them up.   Going over to 100% metal wheels in your rolling stock will help keep locomotive wheels cleaner.     Mike the Aspie

[Mister Mikado]

I appreciate all your suggestions and generous input.  My xacto knife did the trick, wheels clean and shiny, loco bolts down the track like a new one.  Dstarr and Lion, thank you!  -Rob

[BRAKIE]

After removing the locomotives wheels I place enough 91% alcohol in a small dessert bowl to cover the wheels and place the wheels in the alcohol and let soak while I clean the pickup wipers and inspect the drive train I then clean the wheels with a old tooth brush and shop paper towel.

You may wonder: But,Larry isn't that going to the extreme?

Absolutely but,now not only are my wheels clean so are the wipers.

[snjroy]

Fingernails also work if there are only a few spots . 

Ps: please use a mask when applying WD-40. 

[marksrailroad]

I use the brass brush that fits on the tracks and electrofies the loco so that the wheels turn. So far no black crud. I bought it off of ebay and paid about $25.00 for it but it was worth every penny I paid for it.

[Medina1128]

I have a powered track attached to my layout next to one of the throttle controls.

Powered track

Cover track with a paper towel sprayed with rubbing alcohol.

Holding the locomotive with one set of wheels on the track, and the other wheels on the wet paper towel. Apply power to allow wheels on paper to spin.

Notice the dirt removed from wheels. Turn locomotive around and repeat above step.

[rrinker]

 Heavy duty towels - like Handi-wipes brand, not ordinary paper towels, and alcholo or acetone. There's little danger of the acetone ruinign anythign unless you knowck the can over before putting th lid back on - the towel should not be drippign wet regardless of the solvent used - alcohol can ruin paint too. Spread over the rails, power up the loco while holding it, and ring it back and forth over the wet area. Shift the towl and repeat for the other truck if a diesel, or if a larger steamer so all teh drivers get a chance to run on relatively slean areas of the towel.

 For non-powered wheels, at leat the resistor wheelsets on my freight cars, I use the fiber wheel in my Dremel. Looks like a wire wheel but it is not metal - do NOT use a metal wire wheel, it the wheels are plated it will quickly remove the plating. Lightly hold one side, touch the spinning wheel to the other wheel on that axle, let it spin but not fast, and the grime will be gone in no time.

                            --Randy

 

[dstarr]

For hard baked wheel cheese, you need to scrape it off with a small flat blade screwdriver, or an Xacto knife. 

   The stronger solvents, acetone, lacquer thinner, MEK and the like will attack both paint and plastic.  I don't recommend them for cleaning wheels.  Alcohol works, GooGone works,  mineral spirits (paint thinner, lighter fluid) works, and should be strong enough. 

[BATMAN]

My Dentist gave me a rubber Dental pic. It works great and gets right in the corners. A skewer also works well. I have use Lions method with the scalpel as well, but that needs a steady hand to not do some damage.

[ATSFGuy]

At the club shows in the staging yard, I put down a sheet of paper towel on the track and run my locomotive back and forth across it until the wheels get clean. When through, I put my locomotive back in it's box and throw the paper towel sheet in the trash.

[Lone Wolf and Santa Fe]

    I use three of the methods mentioned above; a Handywipe soaked in rubbing alcohol laid out over track is my primary method, also sometimes use the Kadee electric wire brush, or a small screwdriver. The baked on crud will come off, sometimes it’s just a matter of letting the alcohol soak in to loosen it up. I have DC but the Kadee brush should work with DCC since you just clip the power leads onto your track and turn up your throttle.

[selector]

I use leftover bits of dimensional lumber, the scale stuff you might use to fashion a trestle.  The ends are sufficiently hard that driving them against the metal tires does a pretty good job of getting the crud off. 

I would also suggest wetting the tire surfaces that are dirty with something we all have at least three spray tins "around here somewhere"...WD-40.  When I get a caulking compound of 'bout any type on my hands, rubbing my palms and fingers with WD takes care of the problem very quickly.  Wash with hot water and detergent afterwards, natch. The tires can we cleared with alcohol later, or simply wiped dry with a paper or lint-free shop cloth.

Sometimes we want expedient (too often meaning 'fast') at the expense of a thorough job.  As someone used to have under his signature here said, "If you have time enough to do it over/again, you have time to do it right the first time."

[BroadwayLion]

LION uses scalple blade. Connect power to loco with clip leads and lightly press a No. 11 blade to the offending wheel.

 

Of course 48 wheel pick-up does not hurt either.

 

ROAR

[SouthPenn]

I used CRC QD Electronic Cleaner. It is plastic safe. Haven't had any problems with it getting on paint. But most of my paint is rattle cans.

Cheapest place I have found to buy it is in Walmart, automotive section. 

I also use the Kadee powered brass brush. Works on DCC too.

[mlehman]

Due caution with acetone is in order. But a good controllable way to use it is to wet a cotton swab with it and use it to soak the grunge on the wheel. Sometimes it takes a more potent solvent to get stuff off. If the alternative is to use mechnical methds liable to scratch or otherwise damage the wheel finish, if you can tolerate the stuff, acetone provides the effectiveness needed for tough cleaing jobs.

[snjroy]

Hi. I use a Brightboy and finish the job with 90% alcohol, either with a Q-tip or by sliding the loco on a piece of rail with a piece of paper towel over the track. 

Simon

[OT Dean]

I've used the Kadee gizmo practically since they came out, mostly for steam locos, but also, occasionally, for diesels. It also works on O scale locos with proper power connections and a little twisting and turning.

Deano

[hon30critter]

Mister Mikado

I was hand cleaning the wheels with alcohol and a q-tip.  The crud is very hard so I don't know if the paper towel motorized spin will help.  I'll try the brass bristle, thank you for that HOn30critter.

Mike suggested using acetone or lacquer thinner. Both will work but they are very aggresive. If you get any of either cleaner on the paint it will ruin the paint instantly. If I were you I would stick with plain old alcohol.

Another tool I have used on freight car wheels is a small slot screwdriver. It actually doesn't take a lot of time to dislodge the junk, and then you can follow up with the alcohol on a paper towel.

Dave

[mbinsewi]

You also might want to try acetone, and/or lacquer thinner.

I've used both, including 91% alcohol, and a soft bristle brass brush in a dremel.

All seem to work.

Also, if you haven't done so already, change the wheel sets to nickel silver.

Mike.

[Mister Mikado]

Peahrens I was hand cleaning the wheels with alcohol and a q-tip.  The crud is very hard so I don't know if the paper towel motorized spin will help.  I'll try the brass bristle, thank you for that HOn30critter.

[peahrens]

Mister Mikado

After researching online I'm still stumped.  I cleaned the wheels of the used Proto 2000 E8 I just bought.  They are cleaner but there is a layer of crud that won't budge, like it's baked on.  I used alcohol and I don't want to go for anything stronger, so is there an abrasive material that won't damage the wheels?  Thanks to all.

 

Please clarify.  Are you spinning the wheels over an alcohol wet towel on the track, or just wiping them individually with an alcohol moistened cloth?  It might make a difference.  Though I have not had to address heavily crudded wheels.

Of course, that's for powered wheels.  Tender wheels, for example, need a bit more help than running over a wet towel.

[hon30critter]

Kadee makes a brass bristle brush that supplies power to the wheels so they will turn while being scrubbed. It says it works on DC but I can't see why it wouldn't work on DCC too. Maybe someone can verify that.

https://www.walthers.com/speedi-driver-cleaner-use-for-hon3-to-o-scale?ref=1

Dave

[Mister Mikado]

After researching online I'm still stumped.  I cleaned the wheels of the used Proto 2000 E8 I just bought.  They are cleaner but there is a layer of crud that won't budge, like it's baked on.  I used alcohol and I don't want to go for anything stronger, so is there an abrasive material that won't damage the wheels?  Thanks to all.