Real challenge means work

[lester perry]

Well the verdict is in. I am having to remove and clean each wheel set. No easy way out. I have done about 25 now. I am starting in Clifton Forge yard and cleaning the track as I go. I pull the cars out onto one lead track by hand clean them and and put them on the other lead track which is clean. I then clean the track they came out of and push the back with 0-8-0 that refuses to run on dirty track. It has not stalled once at 5 - 10 MPH :thumb: :mrgreen: bounce7balloon6:excited1::wave7: I guess you get the message.
Les

 

[Nomad]

Congrats ! Lot of work but it will be worth it.

Loren

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Les, I don't think you need to remove the wheelsets, but if you're more comfortable doing so, ok. If you have the noticable buildup I'm envisioning, a simple scraping (while dry) will suffice. After that, you could give it a quick roll over some paper towel wetted with a cleaner of your choice. Let the wheels dry before putting them back on the track.

 

[lester perry]

Les, I don't think you need to remove the wheelsets, but if you're more comfortable doing so, ok. If you have the noticeable buildup I'm envisioning, a simple scraping (while dry) will suffice. After that, you could give it a quick roll over some paper towel wetted with a cleaner of your choice. Let the wheels dry before putting them back on the track.

For the most part it is not a lot of crudd build up. There is some of that but it is more like a film of dirt. I am now trying using a dremel tool with a rubber wheel to spin it while I hold an alcohol swab on wheel. It appears to be working but I must be careful to not get axles or wheels hot.
Les

 

[Russ Bellinis]

You might want to try chucking your rubber drive wheel into a cordless drill motor instead of a Dremel. Most cordless drills run at a much slower speed, and some even have a variable speed control that allows you to run them at a crawl.

 

[ocalicreek]

Are your wheelsets plastic, metal, or a mix of both?

 

[lester perry]

You might want to try chucking your rubber drive wheel into a cordless drill motor instead of a Dremel. Most cordless drills run at a much slower speed, and some even have a variable speed control that allows you to run them at a crawl.

I think a drill would be hard to handle, my dremell tool will go pretty slow and appears to be working well.

Are your wheelsets plastic, metal, or a mix of both?

Mix of both and I am finding the metal ones are as dirty as the plastic but easier to clean.
Les

 

[green_elite_cab]

Yeah, I need to start cleaning my layout soon. I've really been putting that off. now that the summer is here, and school is out, i'll have to start maitenance on my equipment.