Dirty Wheels

[BR60103]

I've found that even metal wheels pick up enough gunk to stop locos working. They do this during a 2-hour operating session!
We use track cleaning cars, track cleaning blocks, j-cloth soaked with track cleaner, paper towels...
I don't think anyone's suggested that you give up smoking yet. And no cooking in the layout room!

[BR60103]

I've found that even metal wheels pick up enough gunk to stop locos working. They do this during a 2-hour operating session!
We use track cleaning cars, track cleaning blocks, j-cloth soaked with track cleaner, paper towels...
I don't think anyone's suggested that you give up smoking yet. And no cooking in the layout room!

[Anonymous]

It also helps if you clean the room so the dust on the rails is minimized. I beg to differ with the metal wheel advocates. Since the build up is on the plastic wheels, how can they wear. I rarely clean the non-conducting wheels on cars or locomotives. The carbonized dust mixed with the parafins of the lubrication and results in a plastic like formation. Just focusing on the wheel material is myoptic in solving the problem. I do not care for the plastic axles because they can not be cleaned and polished. The tarnish on the rail and active (conducting) wheels is another source of latent resistance and the metal polishers or abrasion is significant in removing this problem. Each in his own way to enjoy the hobby! Lindsay

[Anonymous]

It also helps if you clean the room so the dust on the rails is minimized. I beg to differ with the metal wheel advocates. Since the build up is on the plastic wheels, how can they wear. I rarely clean the non-conducting wheels on cars or locomotives. The carbonized dust mixed with the parafins of the lubrication and results in a plastic like formation. Just focusing on the wheel material is myoptic in solving the problem. I do not care for the plastic axles because they can not be cleaned and polished. The tarnish on the rail and active (conducting) wheels is another source of latent resistance and the metal polishers or abrasion is significant in removing this problem. Each in his own way to enjoy the hobby! Lindsay

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the great tips on wheels guys! I am now convinced that I will be doing the right thing by changing to metal wheels. The cleaning tips are great as well. All of my rolling stock is Athearn, and sure enough the Delrin wheels make a mess real quick and the wobble is distracting too.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the great tips on wheels guys! I am now convinced that I will be doing the right thing by changing to metal wheels. The cleaning tips are great as well. All of my rolling stock is Athearn, and sure enough the Delrin wheels make a mess real quick and the wobble is distracting too.

[Anonymous]

I have a small N scale railroad under a dust cover on display in a museum, have to clean wheels and rails every 2-3 days since the locomotives (2-8-0 Consolidations) are so light and intolerant of the least bit of crud. Since this runs unattended a few hours a day it needs to be kept reliable and clean, if they stall nobody there to know what to do about it.

At some point I will get some Aztec track cleaning cars for it and then will only need to clean the roller periodically, but for now i find a quick and comfortable way is to wear a mateless old sock like a glove and soak the end in 91% rubbing alcohol. Then i can rub this along the rails without damage to scenery close to the tracks since i have better control of my fingers on the rails than if i used some sort of tool.

For the wheels i turn the locos and cars upside down in a stryfoam cradle, spin the car and tender wheels with a finger while holding the wet sock against the tread with a fingernail from inside the sock for extra scraping power. Same thing for the locos, but with a 9V battery held against the tender pickup wheels to spin the drivers while cleaning them.

[Anonymous]

I have a small N scale railroad under a dust cover on display in a museum, have to clean wheels and rails every 2-3 days since the locomotives (2-8-0 Consolidations) are so light and intolerant of the least bit of crud. Since this runs unattended a few hours a day it needs to be kept reliable and clean, if they stall nobody there to know what to do about it.

At some point I will get some Aztec track cleaning cars for it and then will only need to clean the roller periodically, but for now i find a quick and comfortable way is to wear a mateless old sock like a glove and soak the end in 91% rubbing alcohol. Then i can rub this along the rails without damage to scenery close to the tracks since i have better control of my fingers on the rails than if i used some sort of tool.

For the wheels i turn the locos and cars upside down in a stryfoam cradle, spin the car and tender wheels with a finger while holding the wet sock against the tread with a fingernail from inside the sock for extra scraping power. Same thing for the locos, but with a 9V battery held against the tender pickup wheels to spin the drivers while cleaning them.

[Anonymous]

all the above recommendations are valid, however the only way they will work is if you clean your track and wheels consistantly. there is really no other way. it does not matter what you use but how many times you use it. good luck!

[Anonymous]

all the above recommendations are valid, however the only way they will work is if you clean your track and wheels consistantly. there is really no other way. it does not matter what you use but how many times you use it. good luck!

[Anonymous]

Easiest way I found is rubbing alcohol soaked into a 2 inch strip of white paper towel. Lay it in a turn so the train can run over it. It is import to use turn as it causes the wheels to scuff as the go through. 2 inches is also import as it allows locos to not loose power as one truck is alway in contact with track. Run train over it until black skid marks disappear.

[Anonymous]

Easiest way I found is rubbing alcohol soaked into a 2 inch strip of white paper towel. Lay it in a turn so the train can run over it. It is import to use turn as it causes the wheels to scuff as the go through. 2 inches is also import as it allows locos to not loose power as one truck is alway in contact with track. Run train over it until black skid marks disappear.

[Anonymous]

also if ya wanna clean ya wheels , shellite is the ONLY way to go

[Anonymous]

also if ya wanna clean ya wheels , shellite is the ONLY way to go

[Anonymous]

or throw ya plastic wheels out and get brass or metal ones

[Anonymous]

or throw ya plastic wheels out and get brass or metal ones

[Sydney]

I find cotton-buds dipped in an alcohol solution (such as lighter fluid) and rubbed on the wheels is a satisfactory method for removing dirt from both plastic and metal wheels.

"Sydney"
NSW Australia

[Sydney]

I find cotton-buds dipped in an alcohol solution (such as lighter fluid) and rubbed on the wheels is a satisfactory method for removing dirt from both plastic and metal wheels.

"Sydney"
NSW Australia

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wp8thsub
[

There are other good reasons to switch to good quality metal wheels, .

Rob Spangler
WP 8th Sub
Layton, UT

Less friction, reduced wheel drag equates to longer trains.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wp8thsub
[

There are other good reasons to switch to good quality metal wheels, .

Rob Spangler
WP 8th Sub
Layton, UT

Less friction, reduced wheel drag equates to longer trains.

[wp8thsub]

"...is there a way to prevent this all together, or at least reduce the amount of dirt and dust collected on a layout?"

Yes, stop using plastic wheels! The slippery plastic used for those freight car wheels naturally attracts dirt (just like most unpainted plastic surfaces). Also, as you run trains the plastic wheels wear a little and deposit tiny pieces of themselves on the rail, which collect back on the wheels as the gunk you keep having to clean off. I recall reading a chemical analysis of this type of buildup which confirmed what it comprises.

My entire freight car roster of some 200+ cars is equipped with Kadee or equivalent metal wheelsets. I have zero problems with gunk buildup since eliminating plastic wheels over 10 years ago. Another large layout in my area eliminated plastic wheels in favor of Kadees several years ago with the same results.

There are other good reasons to switch to good quality metal wheels, including eradicating the unrealistic wobble present to some degree with almost all plastic wheels, especially (from my experience) Athearn and MDC. Metal wheelsets sound nicer as they roll by too.

Rob Spangler
WP 8th Sub
Layton, UT

[wp8thsub]

"...is there a way to prevent this all together, or at least reduce the amount of dirt and dust collected on a layout?"

Yes, stop using plastic wheels! The slippery plastic used for those freight car wheels naturally attracts dirt (just like most unpainted plastic surfaces). Also, as you run trains the plastic wheels wear a little and deposit tiny pieces of themselves on the rail, which collect back on the wheels as the gunk you keep having to clean off. I recall reading a chemical analysis of this type of buildup which confirmed what it comprises.

My entire freight car roster of some 200+ cars is equipped with Kadee or equivalent metal wheelsets. I have zero problems with gunk buildup since eliminating plastic wheels over 10 years ago. Another large layout in my area eliminated plastic wheels in favor of Kadees several years ago with the same results.

There are other good reasons to switch to good quality metal wheels, including eradicating the unrealistic wobble present to some degree with almost all plastic wheels, especially (from my experience) Athearn and MDC. Metal wheelsets sound nicer as they roll by too.

Rob Spangler
WP 8th Sub
Layton, UT

[RichS1]

Goo Gone works well. I also use a metal polish for my track. It keeps it from getting dirty. Also I vacume my track. You'd be amazed the dirt that is picked up.
"Rich"

[RichS1]

Goo Gone works well. I also use a metal polish for my track. It keeps it from getting dirty. Also I vacume my track. You'd be amazed the dirt that is picked up.
"Rich"

[Anonymous]

I have found that using solvents and paint thinners sparingly have worked wonders, and last a long time for both wheels and track. If you are leary of using these materials, rubbing alcohol or other commercial track cleaners will work fine as well, but the solvents seem to keep everything cleaner longer.
As far as technique, I have attached two 6 inch long by 1/4 inch wide strips of metal on top of the rails near my loco servicing area. These will serve to provide power to my engines during the cleaning procedure and keeps the wheel treads off the rail while they spin. For the other set of trucks, a small piece of old cotton fabric lightly soaked with cleaning material is placed on the rail and held with your fingers. I place the engine with one set of trucks on top of the metal and the other on the cotton and start to run. In seconds ALL of the grime is removed from the truck. Turn the engine around and do the same for the other truck. With this set up on my layout, I find it very easy to keep my engines clean. At the first sign of any balkiness, directly to the cleaners they go.
For the track, I have found using a pliable 1.5 inch wide paint scraper wrapped in the cloth and slight soaked in the cleaning material to be an easy and very effective tool for cleaning. Just wrap the cloth around the blade once, hold it very snug, lightly soak the cloth with cleaning material and just simply run it over all the rails with slight pressure. You'll have to replace the cloth or move it around becuase you will be amazed at how dirty even clean track is. I work the trunouts first and then it is a simple matter of running all over the remaing rails in very quck fashion. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I have found that using solvents and paint thinners sparingly have worked wonders, and last a long time for both wheels and track. If you are leary of using these materials, rubbing alcohol or other commercial track cleaners will work fine as well, but the solvents seem to keep everything cleaner longer.
As far as technique, I have attached two 6 inch long by 1/4 inch wide strips of metal on top of the rails near my loco servicing area. These will serve to provide power to my engines during the cleaning procedure and keeps the wheel treads off the rail while they spin. For the other set of trucks, a small piece of old cotton fabric lightly soaked with cleaning material is placed on the rail and held with your fingers. I place the engine with one set of trucks on top of the metal and the other on the cotton and start to run. In seconds ALL of the grime is removed from the truck. Turn the engine around and do the same for the other truck. With this set up on my layout, I find it very easy to keep my engines clean. At the first sign of any balkiness, directly to the cleaners they go.
For the track, I have found using a pliable 1.5 inch wide paint scraper wrapped in the cloth and slight soaked in the cleaning material to be an easy and very effective tool for cleaning. Just wrap the cloth around the blade once, hold it very snug, lightly soak the cloth with cleaning material and just simply run it over all the rails with slight pressure. You'll have to replace the cloth or move it around becuase you will be amazed at how dirty even clean track is. I work the trunouts first and then it is a simple matter of running all over the remaing rails in very quck fashion. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I applied that same loco wheel cleaning procedure on loco wheels that were never cleaned
in thirty three years but substituted MAAS. The difference,Outstanding!

[Anonymous]

I applied that same loco wheel cleaning procedure on loco wheels that were never cleaned
in thirty three years but substituted MAAS. The difference,Outstanding!

[Anonymous]

My Genesis engine has the same problem. The way I have tackled that is to clean the rails with a track eraser once a week. To clean the wheels on the engine I use the same eraser. What you do is take alligator clips to your motor and plug it in to your variable voltage on your power supply. Start it up using a very low speed, say about 25 %. Take the track eraser and gently press it onto your wheels. Don't press too hard or you could damage the motor. Glide the eraser back and forth like a saw all the way around. This solves the problem of the engine. As far as the car I gently pull them off the trucks and with a very soft cloth i clean the wheels, then remount them. If this doesn't help, I tried.
Ramsi sends