How Do You Clean Your Locomotive Wheels?

Robert, I've been using that same method for years with great results.  It also works well for the cars.  

 

The other way I like to tackle this task, is to put a loco on a set of rollers, apply power, and use cotton swabs with cleaning fluid to clean each wheel.

Same as freight wheels. Scrape the heavy crud with a knife. Followed by QTips wet with mineral spirits. Then a dry Qtip.

I put them upside down on the workbench, in a cradle or bracing with thick cloth (old ti-shirts) to protect the finish, etc.  

 

I have a small power supply on the workbench and connect alligator clips to a center pickup and somewhere on the loco and set the wheels to spinning. 

 

I use iso-alcohol on the end of a Q-tip which I hold on each powered wheel as it spins.

 

I spin the non-powered wheels by hand as I hold it similarly.

 

I do this until a new Q-tip held against each wheel does not pick up any dirt.

 

In really bad cases, such as a loco I just bought at a swap meet with heavily tarnished/crudded wheels, I do as above but hold a brightboy eraser to the wheels first.

Bright Boy Eraser.

OK, so here's the dumb electrical question of the day:

 

I've always been of the mind to avoid 'wet/damp' and 'electric' - what am I missing?  There's no reason to be paranoid?

 

Thanks and sorry 

I use a Q-tip or paper towel and 90+ percent Rubbing Alcohol. Cleans well and evaporates quickly. May need to scrape heavy crud accumulations with a screw driver or finger nail first on newly purchased used equipment. Q-tip and alcohol also clean the commutator and brushes and track. Since it evaporates quickly, bu y the time I get the loco on the track there are no worries about wet/damp and electric.

Q tip and denatured alcohol.  Wipe off all with a paper towel.

Upside down in the cradle, Dremel with a #425 buffing wheel. Gets rid of all the crud in seconds leaving a polished finish on the treads.

 

jackson

A Q-Tip and 1.1.1 Triclorethane

 I do mine exactly like Lee does.  They are definitely clean after that process.

 

       
       


No need to be paranoid, just don't use enough fluid to give it a bath. It doesn't take much to loosen the dirt and wipe it away. The great thing about Roberts method is that you don't have to be worried about detail parts being damaged.

Same process but I use the wire brush in the Dremel.

Hi Folks,

 

     Scotchbrite pads are mildly abrasive.  Several years ago, I was advised not to use them for routine cleaning purposes.  Good for rust removal with a lubricant, but they will take the plating off of tubular track in short order when used for regular cleaning.  For wheels, they will remove metal or plating.

 

Take care, Joe.

 

 

I use both methods depending upon how dirty the wheels are.

Gilly

 

Wonder if anyone has ever tried using "Simple Green"???

Same here. I'll use 90% isopropyl, mineral spirits, or laquer thinner depending on what I'm doing. If I'm applying Bull Frog Snot, I clean the wheels with laquer thinner to make sure the snot sticks, and stays put.  

Been doing it this way forever.

I have a question: with the upside down cleaning method and with a steam engine, is there a concern over some of driving rods/arms jamming up?

 

for Diesel, I see no problem.

Yes. That is a good question. Would any of the mechanisms on the wheels jam when a steam loco is upside down?

 

Bob C.

 

or

 

 

I was brushing my teeth this morning with an Arm&Hammer Spinbrush and was wondering if anyone has used one of these to clean wheels.  I haven't tried it yet, but as soon as the brush tip needs replacing it's going to be put to the test first

That is a cool idea Bob. 

 

Paul

There are one or two Premier locos on which this will happen.  I do not know the models.

Never had an issue with any of my streamers.

 

You can search the OGR forums, where Marty Fitzhenry identified one or two premiers locos that had the problem.  I don't know in what forum it was mentioned

I do it up side down in a foam cradle and I have never had a problem with the side rods binding. But, it would be a good idea to insure that there is enough room for them. 

Mario, it wasn't binding, it was that one of the links is free to move vertically in a slot.  On RailKing locos, the part is slightly different.