Clean engine wheels

[Steve]

Hello, I am new.. not sure if this has been posted yet but how do you clean engine wheels? thanks

[jayl1]

Buy a Kadee #236"Speedi Driver Cleaner" for about $12.  Attatch the clips to the track & touch the engine wheels to the cleaner.  They should be available at any decent hobby shop.  ( For large gauges, it's stock # 843).

[lanny]

I purchased a 'cleaner set' from Micro Mark ... which essentially is a 'commercial version' of the 'homemade' method suggested by the 'experts' on this forum. It consists of Bachmann style track with an area where fabric is attached to the rails and a 'liquid cleaner' (probably alchol based') is put on the fabric. Power is applied to the track and the locomotive is gently held, while running it back and forth with wheels getting cleaned as they turn.

I don't want to start any kind of 'argument', but I would appreciate hearing the 'pros and cons' of this type of method vs. the 'Kadee style' mentioned. The 'Kadee' cleaner sounds as though it would be a simpler way to clean locomotive wheels.

Opinions on the two methods? Thanks!

lanny nicolet

[Hunt]

* Locomotive wheels *
Cut a Handi Wipes or the like in four inch strips, DO NOT use paper towel. Place one strip across the track and soak the towel part over each rail with about a half capful of Isopropyl Alcohol. Place one truck, for a diesel, on the wet towel and the other truck on the track. Hold the locomotive with one hand and slowly turn up the power pack throttle to spin the wheels. When these wheels are clean, turn the locomotive around and do the other truck. Spin as many wheels as you can at a time for steam locomotive. If wheels very dirty use “Goo Gone” (not recommended for use on rubber traction tires) all-purpose cleaner in place of the alcohol and gauze pad in place of the towel. After wheels are clean then spin wheels on dry towel to remove the cleaner residue. If you are using DCC make an extra effort to remove the cleaner residue. Finish with very, very small amount of conductive contact lube on each metal driving wheel tread and electric pick-up rub points.



Do not clean wheels or track with a heavy abrasive product because it can do as much harm as good. The scratches left in the metal by an abrasive cleaning method provides a place for contamination to accumulate  and makes the next cleaning harder to accomplish and more frequent cleaning required.

[billvan]

Hi:

I have used the Kadee wheel cleaner for years and definitely recommend this method.

[SteamGene]

The Kadee wheel cleaner needs a drawbar clip for brass steam and some other types of steam, like older Rivarossi and Mantua which takes power from one side of drivers and one side of tender.  The leads go to the rails and the clip goes to the drawbar.
I'm of the avoid use of the Kadee cleaner and use soaked Handi-Wipes myself. 
Gene