Is it OK to clean the dirt off of loco wheels with alcohol? This is a 30 year old Loco that was pretty neglected. It runs after a warm up but it’s pretty rough starting out. Just want to see if I can get the thing running smooth again.
Yes, rubbing alcohol should cause no harm to the wheels, since they are metal. You probably also need to lubricate the motor bearings, gears, and drive rods if it is a steam model. Models from the era you’re talking about probably also picked up current from the tender wheels, so don’t forget to clean them, too.
try running the loco on some cloth over the track and 1/2 on & 1/2 off it works well
I cleaned a Lionel HO 2-6-2 steamer, first time in 30 plus years with MAAS metal cleaner.
Automotive polishing compound has a similar effect.
Turn the loco over, connect power leads from the track to the pick ups ,
throttle up and apply the cleaner. Follow up with a clean untreated cloth.
Make sure that you do not get the alcohol or the MAAS on the painted plastic…