Hi
I been trying to clean my loco wheels. The engine used to run flawlessly but now not so much. I have the Walther's Amtrak 40-8B and Im not sure what type of wheels these are that came stock on the diesel engine. I have tried to clean the wheels using a paper towel soaked in alcohol and ran half the wheels on top of the papertowel while the other wheels were on the track supplying power that way the wheels can run but that really work and start tearing up the paper towel. Also tried a Q-tip soaked in alcohol but that only cleaned the part of the wheel that I could see. Since they are powered they don't turn. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Reggie
First thing is use a piece of cloth rather than paper towel. I have a 2" wide strip long enough so it can be tacked down each side of the track.
Have you thoroughly cleaned the track? It can look clean, but still not want to conduct electricity.
Could also be that your wipers or whatever conducts incoming power needs cleaning.
It could be that your motor needs some maintenance, cleaning and a lube.
Some thoughts for starters.
Good luck,
Richard
There are several things that can poor operation. Dirty wheels, dirty pickups, dirty track, dirty commutator (clean if you can get to it. In a can motor that's problematic).
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
The Route of the Broadway LION and home of the 48 wheel pick-up.
Some wheels are magnets for filth, and others are not. Mostly LION does not clean wheels or tracks. If you do not stop the trains you do not have to clean the tracks.
same thing with the 1:1, if the line has not been used for more than a week automatic signals and grossing gates might not work correctly.
Still LION must do trouble shooting on tracks and equipment to keep things running well.
Try a conductive spray (found in an electronics store) on a cloth to clean tracks and wheels. A little bit goes a long way. There are two kinds: a conductive cleaner for tracks and wheels, and a conductive lubricant for journals and motor innards.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Gidday , here's a video of what we use............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiRCyQa3cM0
and where you might acquire one from.....
http://www.trixtrains.com/clean.html
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Reggie,
Have a close look at the wheels, if they still have black and dirty marks, try the cloth soaked in alcohol again. You may have to scrape some of the gunk off with a small screwdriver. I made a foam carrier that I can put my locos in upsidedown. A couple of clip on leads from the track to the pickup wheels lets me run the loco while I clean the dirt off the wheels with both the screwdriver and the alcohol soaked cloth. Be careful with the screwdriver that you don't scratch the wheels. A brass bristled brush like for suede shoes used to work too.
cheers
Alan
Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)
I recently cleaned my track work so I don't think that is the problem. I can visually look at the wheels and they have a lot of build up on them so I know that is at least some of the problem. Just trying to figure out the best way to clean them though.
Regg05 I recently cleaned my track work so I don't think that is the problem. I can visually look at the wheels and they have a lot of build up on them so I know that is at least some of the problem. Just trying to figure out the best way to clean them though.
Cleaning tracks without cleaning wheels is like not cleaning the tracks at all.
Dirty wheels will lay down more dirt almost immediately.
Regg05 Hi I been trying to clean my loco wheels. The engine used to run flawlessly but now not so much. I have the Walther's Amtrak 40-8B and Im not sure what type of wheels these are that came stock on the diesel engine. I have tried to clean the wheels using a paper towel soaked in alcohol and ran half the wheels on top of the papertowel while the other wheels were on the track supplying power that way the wheels can run but that really work and start tearing up the paper towel. Also tried a Q-tip soaked in alcohol but that only cleaned the part of the wheel that I could see. Since they are powered they don't turn. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Reggie
The rag-soaked-in-solvent method works for me. Wheels come out bright and shiny. I use GooGone instead of alcohol, but alcohol has worked for me in the past. I don't use solvents more active than alcohol (MEK, acetone, lacquer thinner) 'cause they will eat plastic.
When your wheels need cleaning your track needs cleaning, and vice versa. That means all your wheels and all your track.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
He said ALL of your wheels! Every single box car and hand car and everything. You can clean your tracks and engines spotless, and your first freight train across the line will lay down a new layer of gunk.
This is why some people use a liquid cleaner such as Wahl oil: putting it on the tracks in one place and let the trains drag the stuff around cleaning all of the wheels and rails at once. Some people use automatic transmission fluid for this.
On a layout such as mine a few drops every mile or so seems to work.
Regg05 I have tried to clean the wheels using a paper towel soaked in alcohol
I think "soaked" might be the problem. Plus some paper towels are thinner than others. I use a piece of Bounty paper towel plus just enough 70% alcohol to dampen the towel.
If I have to clean track, then I might use a piece of cotton (old undershirt will work), again dampened with the alcohol. I will not use anything like Goo Gone, Clipper Oil, automatic transmission fluid. In my opinion anything that leaves a residue on the tracks will only serve to attract and retain dust/dirt later.
Reggie as stated some wheels will pick up dirt faster than others. I have a small feet of PK 1 F units, my NYC FA will get dirty after a few laps! It is getting new wheels.
While I clean my wheels I run the engines from the Alcohol wet paper towel onto a clean dry paper towel. That seems to help a lot most of the times.
Few months ago I could not keep any of my engines wheels clean? So I cleaned my rolling stock wheels, I was amazed at the gunk that came off! It is simple to do, here is how.
Wet a 2 inch wide or so paper towel, way across the track, then a dry paper towel about 4 inch away. (make sure the engine trucks don't cover both at the same time) Start the engine on the wet one, clear the dry one and run the trains 3 or 4 laps. Make sure you keep the lead one wet!
Good luck!
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
I've used lots of stuff to clean tracks and wheels. Now I use alcohol on paper towels or a cloth. Cover a test track and run the engine and roll the stock over it. I use ATF on the track, that is transmission fluid. No problems and things run great
<a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/user/robertsylvester/media/000_0227.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/robertsylvester/000_0227.jpg" border="0" alt="Brass steam engine wheels cleaned photo 000_0227.jpg"/></a>
Robert Sylvester, WTRR
cowman First thing is use a piece of cloth rather than paper towel. I have a 2" wide strip long enough so it can be tacked down each side of the track. Have you thoroughly cleaned the track? It can look clean, but still not want to conduct electricity. Could also be that your wipers or whatever conducts incoming power needs cleaning. It could be that your motor needs some maintenance, cleaning and a lube. Some thoughts for starters. Good luck, Richard
Wipe the rails at various spots around your layout. If your finger isn't clean, neither is your track.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
i just had a problem with an 0-6-0. I wanted to find the actual problem rather that just clean everything again. Fortunately, the first thing i checked with an Ohmmeter was the tender, and found that it had intermittent contact with the rail as I rolled it. I was very surprised that all 4 tender wheels had bad contact at the same time.
So i took both trucks off and checked them individually by checking continuity between the frame and rail, and the wheels and the rails. I found that the wheels were fine (I guess all that cleaning did the job).
I had recently oiled the wheels where they fit into the frames. I used conductive oil. So i cleaned the excess oil, the wheels and the frames. My guess is the oil disolved any accumulated dirt or oxide. I made sure that there was no intermittent contact with each truck, and with the tender. I think putting some pressure on the trucks as I rolled then helped clean both contact surfaces of the wheel and truck.
As I said, I was surprised all four wheels could loose contact.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
instead of paper towels/cloth, use coffee filters the're dirt cheap and very strong. a large package is enough for a lifetime in the train room.
as far as cleaning agent, I use mothers mag wheel polish.
I put polish on scrap piece of cork roadbed, use that to apply polish to cleaning track rails, run loco over polish, spinning wheels, then run wheels on coffee filter, turning filter a bit, round shape of filter a bonus here, until no more black shows on filter.