Cleaning Car Wheels

91% alcohol...

Be careful with the wire wheel.   I just got thru cleaning 50 freight cars worth of wheels and kept getting some of the wire strands from the wheel stuck in my fingers...OUCH!!!

Also, I noticed the wire wheel gets loaded up with crud, ends up just spreading it around on the wheel.  Periodically clean the wheel, soak it in alcohol or some kind of solvent to dissolve the crud.

I've seen buildup of over 1/32" on wheels.  I can't help but think that it could cause a derailment or two.

My engines are Battery-Powered, Remote-Control (BPRC) and I thought that no voltage to the rails would produce less crud on the rails and wheels. It might, but I still have to clean them because of airborne dirt, dust, debris settling onto the rail surface.

I wonder if we took some polishing compound and applied it to the wheels while using the wire brush if it would polish them enough to prevent crud accumulation?

If the crud is thick, I use a single edge razor blade to scrape off what I can.  Use some alcohol to finish up.

I use a Q-tip and and some Goo Gone if it’s heavy dirt then clean it up with a Dremel wheel brush. There are other options other than a wire wheel attachment for a Dremel. 

All of the above.  I use a wire wheel at the lowest speed I can manage without stalling the Dremel.  Clean the wheel frequently; I dip it,  running slowly, into a jar of mineral spirits, and then let it spin itself dry inside the jar.  

Mitch 

I spin the wheels with a Dremel and apply a q-tip with alcohol to the wheel tread.

I use a ScotchBrite wheel on a Dremel for cleaning wheels.  Put it on a mandrel, trim the corners a bit, and have at it.

Clean the wheels?  It's been years. May have to look at them to see if they need to be cleaned.  I like John's ideal on cleaning the wheels.

If you have no alcohol, will beer work?

Next thing.   You guys will want me to clean  the track yearly.

If the crud is extremely thick, I use a small (as in pocket-sized) screwdriver to pry the worst of it off.  Followed by 91% alcohol and Q-tips, lots of both.

Normally, I'd just use the Q-Tips and alcohol.

For the caked on stuff, I use a flat screwdriver to scrape it off.  The reason I like the Dremel is I'm basically lazy, and it's quick.

How do the 2 rail guys do this  ?

Careful when using alcohol, it can damage painted surfaces.  If you get your fingers wet and handle the car, you could very easily leave your fingerprints in it! 

I generally use craft sticks to scrape a buildup of crud off.  Saw off a rounded end, then bevel on a piece of sandpaper.  Makes a good, damage-free scraper.  I prefer mineral spirits over alcohol for final cleaning, makes a good grease/crud cleaner with almost no chance of harming any paint. 

Might want to wear latex-type gloves while doing this, or else your fingers and hands will get black and your skin will dry out.  I usually figure this out every time I have a wheel-cleaning session.  

I use a soft wire wheel (brass) in a dremel tool.  I hold the wire wheel at about a 45 degree angle to the freight car wheel-this spins the freight car wheel and also removes the crud.  I realized how necessary cleaning the wheels was when I started using insulated sections to activate signals last year.

There is an HO wheel cleaner

WHERE IS THE O-Gauge version???

clem k posted:

How do the 2 rail guys do this  ?

I clean my wheels and track frequently so nothing other than a little carbon builds up. I clean the wheels on my locomotives and rolling stock by cutting a paper towel into a 3" or 4" strip, moisten it with a citrus cleaner/degreaser, then lay it across the track holding down each side as the train runs over it a few times.

right here. made my own engine wheel cleaner with detachable scotch bright pads held on with velcro strips glued down to the wood. then I just hook up to my prefered power with the alligator clips. I then hold the engine at the truck that touches the track to keep it from running away. then slowly apply power and get the engines wheels moving at a nice rate and let the scotch bright pads do all the work. then turn the engine around and do the other truck. works on steamers too. I added some wire on one end to just hang it up when not being used. at the end where the alligator clips are soldered on I added a jumper wire attaching it to both outside rails for good ground contact for the engines wheels. as the atlas flex track  outside rails are insulated from each other. I chose the atlas track because of the flat top rail and had a scrap piece laying around. I also made the lenth in the cut in the two outside rails just a tad bit longer than one diesel truck lenth. so I could mount the pads for the cleaning job. It really works well and makes cleaning my locomotive wheels rather easy now. I also can put some felt pads in place of the green pads to further get all the dirt off the wheels and polish them clean.

Simply an old pocket knife is used to scrap the crud off.  No electricity, chemicals or dust.

Charlie

catnap posted:

clem k posted:

How do the 2 rail guys do this  ?

I clean my wheels and track frequently so nothing other than a little carbon builds up. I clean the wheels on my locomotives and rolling stock by cutting a paper towel into a 3" or 4" strip, moisten it with a citrus cleaner/degreaser, then lay it across the track holding down each side as the train runs over it a few times.

Thank you catnap.....I drive over masking tape to pull the crud off the wheels

Years past a member suggested this item:  CRC 2-26.  That is all I use and never have any problems. And...

my little layout is in a cottage that has minimal heat and cooling. 

Danr posted:

If the crud is thick, I use a single edge razor blade to scrape off what I can.  Use some alcohol to finish up.

yup it can build up..

willygee posted:

yup it can build up..

 Wowsers. 

Will have to give the Brite Boy technique a whirl!  As it were...   

Mitch

The caution about using alcohol is correct. Use Naphtha instead for all your cleaning / degreasing needs.

Larry

I use qtips and  95 %alcohol.Pick the car up turn it over.Dip the qtip in alcohol then press against the wheel.Turn the wheel while pressing the qtip on the wheel.A few good turns should do it.The qtip will turn black from the dirt.That is how I do it.

I've read many times about using Goo Gone and thought I'd give it a try. I cannot believe how powerful a natural, safe to smell, product could be. I've been using it for about 4 years now and noticed the wheels and tracks stay cleaner longer after using it. I think it's because it leaves a film on the wheels and track that help to keep dirt from sticking. When I first started using it, I would remove the film with alcohol, but quit after I noticed getting a slight headache latter in the day, after I was breathing the fumes for a while. That's when I noticed the wheels and track stayed cleaner longer. My only concern would be wheel slip for people that have grades on their layout. 

Train Nut posted:

91% alcohol...

I'll drink to that.

seaboardm2 posted:

I use qtips and  95 %alcohol.Pick the car up turn it over.Dip the qtip in alcohol then press against the wheel.Turn the wheel while pressing the qtip on the wheel.A few good turns should do it.The qtip will turn black from the dirt.That is how I do it.

Same here