looking for info on manufactors for cleaning dirty wheel on rolling stock everyone in the club cleans the wheels on there engines but everyone overlooks there rolling stock i know there are some manufactors out there can any help with a few to look at
For metal wheels, a soft brass rotary brush in a Dremel is one way to clean rolling stock wheels, but I have never ran into a problem with dirt collecting on them. Plastic yes, but not metal.
Plastic wheels supposedly generate static electricity as they roll down the track, and the static then attracts dirt. Whether this is really a true fact, I don’t know but I use metal wheels on everything anyway because they sound and look better.
You didn’t indicate whether your rolling stock has plastic or metal wheels. If you are talking metal, I recommend that you go to your local firearms store and purchase a small bottle of “HOPPE’S #9 POWDER SOLVENT”. Normally it is used for cleaning guns, but an old friend of mine once told me that it will take the dirt off of metal wheels. Use a Q-tip when you apply it. Rubbing alcohol will do the same thing.
You can also use a rotorary brush in a dremel tool to remove built-up dirt from metal wheels, but it has been my experience that it will also remove the paint from metal wheels that are manufactured by Kadee.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
Use some rubbing alchohol on a paper towel laid over the rails. Just run the car back and forth over the paper towel and soon you will see black streaks. Keep doing it until the wheels no longer leave any streaks and they are clean. Works on plastic or metal wheels.
I use the track cleaning fluid.
I put a paper towel over a length of track, drop a couple of drops of track cleaner over each rail and then roll the car through the liquid then onto a dry bit of towel. When there are 2 black streaks on the towel. I shift it sideways. Sometimes I have to force the wheels against the rail. Afterwards, clean the bit of track you were using.
I find that metal wheels pick up gunk too, maybe not as much.
If the gunk won’t come off, I start it with a fine bladed screwdriver.
Here are some more tips on cleaning and on prevention:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5836