The Maas or equivalent metal polish now being advocated to clean track and wheels is indeed excellent. However, I recently discovered one area where we need to be careful using it. I clean the wheels of my engines with it, using a rag with the polish on it, laying it over the track and running one engine truck at a time over it, followed by a run with a clean rag until no gunk is evident. The problem I encountered was with my failthful old Walthers H-1044 (not up to present day detail but an excellent runner). Since current pickup is via metal wipers, I found some of the gunk removed found its way to them and after some time acted as insulation. During my latest run using the F-M, I found it kept stalling at places it none other of my engines (except my nemesis, the Spectrum 44-tonner) stalls. Upon examination, I discovered it was collecting power from only three wheels! After disassembly and cleaning of the wipers, it is running well again. So be careful when using the polish if your motive power picks up power via wipers. Use the polish sparingly on engine wheels.
Good advice. I like to use the old alcohol paper towl over track trick. Is the polish used the same way?
I use an abrasive block for cleaning wheels. Haven’t had a problem with it yet, and it always leaves the nickel wheels as shiny as a mirror[^]
Cheese3,
Yes, I use the polish just as you do alcohol and a rag. Alcohol is probably a better alternative for wheels.
You will…hope that you have a stock of replacement wheels available.
I’ve also found that MAAS removes the black from blackened wheels as well as track paint if you overdo it. There should be no problems on the track as long as you use it sparingly, but I would not use it for wheel cleaning. I’d stick with Isopropyl Alcohol.
And MAAS is wonderful for spot cleaning brass pick-up strips & contacts on locos.
I don’t clean my wheels enough to need replacements yet. And the nickel wheels seem hard enough to last a long time.
Thanks for the tip. Really, everyone, stuff like Goo-gone and Goof-off (what I happen to have found in an old closet, and used to banish Dull-coat on my wheels) is excellent, and non-abrasive. I am now convinced, because of the strong anecdotal evidence reported by so many modelers here, that MAAS will do just as welI.
I would urge great caution against using any abrasive material, except maybe emory cloth, on a loco’s wheels, especially if buying replacements is going to create difficulty for you. For a sped-up analogy to illustrate my point, rub some sandpaper over a butter knife from your kitchen drawer, and see what the effect is. Don’t expect your little loco drivers to last much longer!!!