How to Clean Locomotive Wheels
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2024
- Keeping locomotive wheels clean is essential for trains to run smoothly. Any dirt can cause a break in the circuit and result in locos juddering or stalling. In this video I'll show you two ways that I keep my locomotive wheels clean.
The first way is gentle and uses Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) to chemically clean any grime off the wheels. Simply use a cotton bud dipped in IPA to rub the areas of the wheels that form part of the circuit. Any IPA left on the wheels will evaporate and you'll be left with nice clean wheels.
IPA is available from Ebay relatively cheaply and a large 1ltr bottle will last a very long time. Be sure to get 99.9% and observe all safety precautions when using it.
If you've got a significant amount of dirt that's built up over a longer period of time then you might need to use something more abrasive such as the TRIX wheel cleaning brush (previously branded as Conrad Electronic). This will very quickly remove any particles on the wheels. Avoid using this method too often since, although the brushes are relatively soft, they can still scratch the wheels. Do not use the brush on wheels with traction tyres, it will destroy them.
The TRIX wheel brush cleaner is available from a number of places including The Model Centre (www.themodelcentre.com/66602-..., but search around on Google for the best price and availability.
Let me know if you know any other good ways of keeping wheels clean.
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(Full disclosure, as an Amazon Associate and Ebay partner I earn from qualifying purchases through these links and this helps to support the channel)
Isopropyl Alochol (IPA):
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Labelle 106:
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Oil:
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For my N scale layout I use WD40 with Q-tips to get the wheels clean, then brake cleaner to remove the WD40 from the wheels. It's fast and easy and does a great job. Just thought I would throw that out there.
Thanks Derek 👍
Derek, I would recommend WD40 Contact Cleaner, rather than WD40 oil. You won't need the brake cleaner then, as it's designed for cleaning electrical contacts and evaporates quickly.
@@PeterJewell2 I can attest to WD40 contact cleaner as I use it on both loco and rolling stock wheels. I use it to clean the tracks too. This helps to run my locos smoothly for weeks between cleaning.
Awesome dude helpful
Is it possible to connect crocodile clips to the track that has power. And connect the other end to the locomotive?
I'm trying to think of a way I can do this myself.
Yes, you can power a motor this way :-)
Hi Can I ask you have you tried T-Cut to clean your wheels it is a mild abrasive cleaner being used to restore car paint work. Just use as you did with the wheels revolving and cotton buds.
Although it is inflammable not as much as the IPA.
Just make sure you get it all off and you will know when you have when you use a clean cotton bud and no more black deposits can be seen on a clean cotton buds.
I have been using it for years never caused any problems and brings wheels up like a mirror surface. I also us it on motor commutators and it brings them up like a mirror as well.
I never finish with IPA as some others do as it is not necessary I have tested locomotives current draw after an clean and half seen a good improvement the ammeter readings
Hi Andy, I've never used T-Cut, but I've heard of it in relation to renumbering. I assume it's available from Halfords type places?
@@LittleWicketRailway Hi there I have used to renumber locomotives and It does take the old numbers off.
I use T-Cut both for loco wheels and the cleaning of motor commutators. It bring them both up like a mirror surface but does not cause loss of traction though don't use it on traction tyres obviously.
Now I must say you must make absolutely sure you get all of the T-Cut off of the wheels and motor commutator. You will know that when a new cotton bud has no black deposit evident on the cotton surface.
I have used T-Cut for many years and have had no problems at all from doing so. Any car accessory shop will have it in stock and a small container lasts for years, I does tend to separate in the container so needs a good shake before use.
I have had many reports from fellow modelers telling me that they have had locos that had very rough running and after the T-Cut treatment came back to life as they were like new.
Give it a try and come back and let me know how you get on
We have HO scale Thomas. My son took apart and the wheels keep skipping and train won't move only making grinding sounds from the gears. Please help!! Spent 150 on this thing. SMH
Seeing as it makes a grinding sound most likely the wheels are jammed up, i suggest removing the body work and going through the gear assembly from the motor to the gears and eventually the wheels to see what is the problem. It could be a gear with broken teeth, a piece of debris jamming the moving parts, the motor having issues. If you cant fix it yourself I suggest bringing it to a place that can repair trains for you.
Keep in mind that anything that moves on its own is delicate, and always treat those items with care when working on them.
Oh dear. Is this the Bachmann model of Thomas with the moving eyes? If so then this diagram might be useful (www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/58741.pdf)
Stay positive, if it ran well before it was taken apart then unless something broke whilst it was being taken apart then it should be possible to put it back together again. Grinding sounds from the gears and no movement suggests that the motor is still working, but something is stopping it from turning freely. Firstly, stop trying to run it whilst it's jammed because you could damage the motor.
As Treinen met Amy suggested, I'd pop the bodywork off again and take a look at the gears to make sure everything looks ok and is in the correct place before moving onto the wheels. If this is the model with the moving eyes then that mechanism might also be causing a problem, but I'm not familiar with it.
Again, as suggested, dropping into the local model shop for expert help is always an option. Hopefully it's an easy fix for them and they might not charge.
Best of luck!
Hey I Got The Hornby GWR HST Train Set How Would I Clean That ???
You can clean the HST wheels in a similar way using cotton buds and isopropyl alochol. Be careful not to get IPA on the paintwork and follow all the safety precautions. If you're going to use the metal brush cleaner then be careful because I think the HST will have rubber traction tyres and the metal brush will rip them off. I've made that mistake 😫
@@LittleWicketRailway thanks
@@LittleWicketRailway Thank You !
I a big fan of Thomas the tank engine and I’m still a big fan of it
THOMAS
Terrif video but..... do remember to clean track aswel.