Locomotive maintenance

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

What is the best way to clean the wheels on my locomotives? They’ve been sitting in storage for about 12 years, and don’t run so well anymore. Is there anything more I should do to get them up and running again? Lubrication? Where?

I also have a Bachmann engine, and it has what looks like an elastic band on each of the back wheels. What is it for? Traction? Insulating the wheels from the track?

Both have broken in half, and now fall off the wheels. Are they really necessary? How would I go about replacing them? It seems the rear wheels have a little groove these bands sit in, so with them missing, the back end sits just a fraction of an inch further down, and believe it or not, the rear wheels occassionaly hit a piece of ballast that is just a tiny bit higher than the rest.

Jim

2

the bands are for traction and i do believe you will need them or the wheels will just spin and not pull the train because the bachmann engines are so light…it’s an old locomotive and i don’t know where to get parts for them because it’s been 25 years since i’ve owned one with traction bands…you may just want to invest in a new locomotive…Chuck

3

Jim,

Please give us some more details. The Bachmann, is it a steamer with a tender or a diesel?

What brand is the other locomotive(s)?

For the standard Bachmann line, you may be able to find similar locomotives at a swap meet or train show.

Don’t take this negatively as I don’t want you to think I’m being discouraging-----------------it’s normally not worth it. Standard Bachmanns are too light, noisy, and are not smooth running units. The fact that the diesels need traction tires is a pretty good indicator. Their old steamers are attractive but again not smooth runners.

If you’re into diesels, consider purchasing either LifeLike’s Proto 2000 line, Athearn Blue Box, or yes, if you like Bachmann, you can get a Bachmann Spetrum diesel. The Spectrum Amtrak F40PH was a big hit with modelers about 10 years or so, ago.

If price is an issue check out Ebay as there are some very good deals to find. On the search box you can, for example, type: Proto 2000 SD7 or Athearn F7. A list on the particular unit you’re looking for pops open shows units that are up for bidding. Some have the “Buy it Now” option. Some deals are actually quite reasonable.

I won the bid for a Proto 2000 Special Edition SD45 for only $51. This same locomotive sells for $110 plus at most hobby shops! Athearn Blue Box locomotives often go for as little as $25, brand new!

Another option also is to check out some of the internet discount dealers. Some of the forum members here can provide you with good, recommendable dealers.

(make sure you don’t buy from Hobby Circle as their reputation for customer service is in the gutter)

Keep asking questions. Hope t

4

I would recommend that you take your engines to a hobby shop that does repair and let them replace your traction tires and lube them. As for cleaning your wheels. I always use a Drimel tool with a soft polishing wheel and a little rubbing alcohal. You have to do them one quarter at a time by placing the engine on a live track and let it move forward one quarter of a turn, then polihat part, then do so again and polihe next part and so on until they’re all done. Hope this helps.

trainluver1

5

Upside down with Alcohol and a cotton swab.

Lubrication? Where? The bearing’s where the motor shaft meets it’s mount.

“Traction” You’ll have to get these replaced, if you expect it to run right. I’d do this first before doing the other.

YES.With no tires, you’re ‘riding on the rims’. Try Bachmann first.

Next time avoid any engines using ‘tires’. They’re a cheap alternative to using a better quality motor.

6

Jim, I have a couple of athearn D12’s that sat for 20 years with no mainteance, to clean thier wheels I took the top off and roated the flwheels inside and cleaned the wheels with a life-like track cleaner or a ink eraser and it worked great!

7

Outdoors, with Q-tips and acetone, carefully wipe the rim of your loco’s wheels. Go light on the acetone. Make sure not to get acetone on the parts you are not going to clean!!! Mask them or cover them with something.

8

Take a paper towel soaked in 90% alcohol and lay it across the track.
While holding it back, run the engine at a pretty good speed partially on the towel where you can still pick up the juice. Adjust the towel or engine for the other pickup wheels.

The results will be on the towel.

REX[:D]

9

dittio to that thats all the things i do plus i use a screw driver to clean them.

10

[#ditto]
Easiest way to clean the wheels ! Although I use rail zip. Either way the paper towel across the track shines them right up.

11

whats a rail zip?

12

I clean my engine’s wheels with some Goo Gone on a paper towel. Wet the towel, put it across the track, then spin the engine’s wheels on it. Do one truck at a time. You’ll notice a nice difference in running :slight_smile:

13

Instead of the paper towel, I use a clean cloth, like from an old sheet. Could you add weight to the loco to help it’s pulling power?

14

Quote
“Next time avoid any engines using ‘tires’. They’re a cheap alternative to using a better quality motor.”
Unquote

Totally incorrect reasoning I must add. Feel free to like or hate traction tires as you choose, but understand their purpose is to increase traction, which has nothing to do directly with the motor. The coefficient of friction between rubber and metal is far higher than it is between metal and metal.
Two words are the keys to good locomotive maintenance; cleanliness and lubrication. Keep anything that is supposed to be clean, clean, and lube moving points subject to friction EXCEPT the joint between the rails and the wheels. If you subscribe to the “Wahl’s clipper oil on the rails” theory you will probably not like traction tires.

15

It’s a rail cleaner by Pacer, the same people who make most of the super glue you see in the hobby shops. I’ve had a small bottle for years, it doesn’t take much. I use it just for the wheel cleaning.

16

Why do all these old topics keep getting brought back?[%-)]

17

There are always newbies that need to know, and really don’t know how to search the forum, I wi***he admins had a sticky on the top to cover little things like that for them.[:D]

18

Well, somebody must have done a search, else how did the subject reappear? I think the error was in answering an archived thread. That happens regularly here.

-Crandell

19

My LHS sells traction tires, two different sets, one for steam, one for diesel, four or five sizes to the package, four of each size, made by Stewart, catalog number 505, price $6.95.

For older locmotives with brass wheels, about one trick with the Mag polish and a Q-tip will be your last. Since the tires accumulate around 1/4" of non-conducting sludge per hour, you can spend the rest of your life just trying to keep up.

In such a case, you might want to take a look at Trix’s cleaning brush. Two brass brushes in a plastic hosing, just set it on the rails, feed in the power, hold the loco on top about ten seconds per struck, and they’ll look better than hand polished brass. Stock number 66602, $19.99.

20

My .02 regarding traction tires -

  1. they’re a poor substitute for weight.
  2. wheels with traction tires are not going to pick up any current.
  3. the rubber is going to increase the amount of power-robbing crud on your rails, exacerbating issue #2.

Light-weight, traction-tire-equipped loco’s are just a stall looking for a turnout…