Cleaning wheels

[NYC_George]

The other day when I started the 360 degree turntable video. The NYC Mikado wouldn't come out of the stall.
I thought the track must be dirty and pulled it out by hand. I turned the engine over just to check and found the wheels were almost black. I thought I must have missed this one when I cleaned wheels last week. I also thought maybe this would make a good thread. How do you clean your wheels? I uploaded a photo showing my very simple cleaning station. I first turn the command station to 25 mph. Then I clamp two alligator clips to the near by track and then to the steam engine's tender axles. The wheels begin to turn and I start cleaning. First I spread on a little non toxic track cleaner, hit the wheel with the brass brush and clean the wheels with a Q tip. That's it. For me the diesels are just as easy because I jumpier them all so I just plug into the jumper with a unused jumper. Some diesels you can clamp the clip right to the contacts BLT E7's. I plan on making the whole operation permanent with maybe with some soldered wires and a on / off switch. What's your method?

NYC_George

 

[Larry]

I use a Trix wheel cleaner that sits on a track w/power from a small transformer on engines w/real dirty wheels. Then I follow that up w/cleaner rags laying across the tracks & then I sit 1 end of the loco on the rag & 1 end on the track & turn up the juice to the track & let it run till the cloth is clean. I move the cloth after it gets black & keep doing that till it's totally clean. I use the cleaner wipes out of automotive dept. at WM. These wipes are damp & do an excellent job. I only have diesels, no steam. I have used the same cleaning process on friends steam engines.
On the wheels on my rolling stock I use a Dremel tool w/a wire wheel & turn the rolling stock wheels w/my hand & run the dremel on a slow speed.
That's how I've been cleaning my equipment for quite a few years.
I always have a track cleaner box car in every consist on my layout, so, I don't usually have any wheels to clean unless I buy a used engine or a pc. of rolling stock at the local train show.

Larry

 

[Larry]

This is the Trix cleaner that I use. You can buy as many as U need & they connect together for those long engines. 2 of them are long enough for my long diesels.

 

[NYC_George]

Cleaning wheels with dremel tool

Thanks Larry
I like the Trix and dremel tool tip. Steam engines cause most track cleaning problems because you have to oil the driver rods.

NYC_George