Electronics and DCC

How can you set up a cradle to run a dcc loco upside down to clean wheels or apply Bulldog Snot?

Thanks.

GeorgeG

http://www.micromark.com/SearchResult.aspx?deptIdFilter=0&searchPhrase=wheel+cleaner

 Sure. You will have to select the engine's address and crank the throttle up to spin the wheels.

Very simple. Use a pair of double clip leads to connect the controller to the tender wheels. Don't ever use the Micro Mark driver brush option. You will end up with tiny scratches on the drivers.

Rich

richg1998:

 

Very simple. Use a pair of double clip leads to connect the controller to the tender wheels. Don't ever use the Micro Mark driver brush option. You will end up with tiny scratches on the drivers.

Rich

Are you sure that the brush will scratch the drivers?  The brush looks to be copper or copper alloy which should be softer than any ferrous metal alloys used in the wheels.  If so, shouldn't scratch.

I've used the MicroMark Brush, which is made by Kadee, for years.  It works great and I have never had a problem.

mreagant:

Are you sure that the brush will scratch the drivers?  The brush looks to be copper or copper alloy which should be softer than any ferrous metal alloys used in the wheels.  If so, shouldn't scratch.

The drivers (except for Athearn BB) are not ferrous metal alloys.  They are usually nickel-plated brass, plain brass, or nickel silver (all copper alloys).  We'd have more tractive effort if the drivers were stainless steel (and slightly less susceptibiltiy to scratching), but that's only found on custom and very high end brass locomotives.  Athearn BB used sintered iron wheels, but folks tend to have problems keeping them clean, and will sometimes replace them with nickel silver or nickel-plated.

I don't use a brush on my wheels so I can't tell you whether the brush scratches or not.  You'd probably have to check under some decent light and magnification to see the scratches - if they are there.  But in general, the wheels are soft enough to be scratched with a knife blade.

my thoughts, your choices

Fred W

 The Kadee wheel cleaning brush is not likely to scratch or gouge locomotive wheels unless you can exert a lot of pressure upon it.  Adding a couple of drops of track cleaning fluid to the brush helps, too.  The main problem is that the brush just spreads the dirt instead of really removing it.