wheel cleaning

I don't know of a quick way. If the gunk on the plastic wheels is thick I scrape it off with a edge of  a small screwdriver. I don't normally have thick gunk anymore on my rolling stock as I clean the wheels with a tooth brush and WD-40.  The gunk come right off and I dry the wheels with a rag. When done they are clean and shiny. 

With regular maintenance to locos, engines, rolling stock AND the track I've found that:

1.) A lot of time a track eraser is sufficient to clean wheels

2.) If they're noticeably a little more dirty, apply isopropyl alcohol to a cotton swab/q-tip and then run it around the wheels to pick up grime and start to loosen the remaining grime. After that, I use a scotch brite pad. Usually gets the job done.

3.) Sometimes a thick layer of grime to builds up on the wheels on the consist of a separate o-27 loop of  with a spur which runs the same consist all the time. Because I never make any major infrastructure changes to that part of the layout, and I run it every time I run may trains, I tend to neglect cleaning because its a simple loop and is just very relisble: RMT LV Buddy, Marx LV hopper with MTH trucks, 2 Lionel postwar 6456 LV hoppers, 2 RMT Bethlehem Steel ore cars, an MPC era LV insulated boxcar, and 2 more Lionel postwar 6456 LV hoppers..

When I do have a maintenance day- usually on a Saturday once a month, or notice that the LV consist isn't running as well as I'd like, I do the full process because the grime is that thick- you can tell where the train goes over the rails because there's an impression in the layer of grime that's present. Eraser, alcohol and scotch brite, then a small screw driver to get the grime off those wheels or at least loosen it, alcohol on swabs again, scotch brite again, then compressed air.

Some people modify a dremel and put a scotchbrite on the end of it. Then they put the whatever they're cleaning in a cradle and just run the dremel over the wheels. Works very well and is much quicker from what i've seen

A track eraser works great on metal AF wheels but is too harsh for the plastic. Also I never use a Dremel to clean the plastic wheels as it can melt them, I know from experience. I like WD -40 and a tooth brush because it leaves the plastic wheels looking like new and even cleans the axle ends removing gunk and lint. Also it is a light lubricant, however I do wipe the threads of the wheels dry to keep the oil off of the track.

Assemble 3 or 4 sections of straight track, place in a convenient spot, preferably not on a light color carpet. Spray 2 or more pieces of paper towel with plastic safe contact cleaner (or any other solvent you trust) and place it over the track. Push the cars back and forth by hand. Even the dirtiest wheels are clean in less than 10 seconds. Entire trains of cars can be cleaned in minutes this way.

You can do this on the layout depending on how it is detailed. My weathering and roadbed detailing is not something I want to continually subject to solvents so I use the separate off-layout track sections.

Sorry! @Major AND @rhrailfan1972 ! It was late at night an I must've misread.

While cleaning up a Pikemaster set for resale today I found out not to leave De Ox It on the track or it will cause wheel slip haha. Got it taken care of though.

StevefromPA posted:

Sorry! @Major AND @rhrailfan1972 ! It was late at night an I must've misread.

Hey don't knock yourself, your response had some great ideas!