Cleaning locomotive wheels

[Anonymous]

We've had a very interesting discussion on this forum about the various methods of track cleaning.

Now, what is the best method for cleaning locomotive wheels? If the loco is off the track, the wheels don't turn and if it's on the track one can't reach the wheels. I suppose the body shell could be removed and the mechanism turned manually to reach the entire perimeter of each wheel but that is a bit of a bother, especially with steam locomotives.

Short of buying one of those expensive in-the-track systems which would require wiring to the dcc system, does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for the help!!

Jimbo

[MAbruce]

If it’s a diesel loco, it should be easy. I take an alcohol soaked cloth and lay it across a section of track on my layout. I put the back set of wheels on the track and the front set on the cloth so that it’s on the track but on the cloth. I power up while holding the loco in place. The wheels will spin on the cloth and clean them. Repeat same process for the back set.

My only caution is to make sure your fingers are dry when touching your loco, or you might start to smear the paint. I use 90% Isopropyl Alcohol which will dissolve paint.

[TomDiehl]

I have an old poewr pack with clip leads and a foam loco cradle. I invert the loco, clip the leads to the pickup points, power it up, and touch a cleaner like a bright boy lightly to the pickup wheels. This works well for steam or diesel models.

[selector]

I have found the cloth across the tracks method to be small-o okay. I prefer a more possitive method of inverting the loco, especially a steamer, in a cradle, cleaning about 1/3 of the circumference of the loco's wheels (the showing 120 of arc), and using a Q-Tip lightly wet with either acetone or Goof-Off. I have not used alcohol, although it sure has its champions on this forum.

Replace the loco on the tracks, and turn the wheels another 120 deg, reinvert, clean, etc., until they are all done.

Note that this is time consuming, BUT...if you are meticulous about keeping your track clean (with metal polish, and I intend to try the "gleaning" method), this chore should befall you about once every six months. Now, obviously if you have dozens of locos in use any given week, this will be a problem...of your own creation. [:-,] But for those of us who have modest stables, you will find yourself running trains 90% of the time if you keep them clean and do a good, thorough, job when you do it.

[radio2]

I found the best way to clean steam loco wheels is the cradle and alligator cilp method, this way you let the wheel do the work , you just need to hold the cleaner to the wheel, I use a q-tip soaked in track cleaning solution, but you can try alcohol, goo-gone, or a bright boy. As for diesels the cloth on the track soaked in alcohol or track cleaner will work, Minitrix also made a bru***ype wheel cleaner that you put on the track and power it up (the track) and hold the loco wheels to the brush.

Rm2

[miniwyo]

for a quick clean I use a strip of cloth that is run over the rails with 409 cleaner on it. For more through jobs I take the wheel sets out of the truck and use the wire wheel bit in my dremel tool.

[aluesch]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jimhubbard


Short of buying one of those expensive in-the-track systems which would require wiring to the dcc system, does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for the help!!

Jimbo

Keep in mind though that a wheel cleaning machine has definite advantages over to manual cleaning.
- It will cleans automatically whenever you operate your layout.
- It will clean all wheels not just driving wheels.
- It will also clean all wheels of your rolling stock (cars, coaches etc.)
- You don't have to lift locomotives off the track

The initial expense for a cleaning machine is of course a lot higher than just some cleaning fluid and a rag but well worth the investment if you have a relatively large rolling stock to keep up with.
You can check out the LUX wheel cleaner here: http://www.mrsonline.net/html/lux.html
or read the MRR product review on the same here: http://www.trains.com/content/dynamic/articles/000/000/005/079hqhwr.asp

Regards,
Art
http://www.mrsonline.net/


Regards,
Art