Wheel Scrubbers

 You could buy stationary rollers to run the engine on. A Q tip with the cleaner of your choice will get the grime off as the wheels turn. Keep switching out Q tips till they show no more residue.

  I have a set that has a small scotchbrite pad between the rollers to scrub the wheels. Can’t think of who made it.

Dave, Micro Mark has them for sale in a 2 pack. I see the pad in between the rollers. Is that the Scotchbrite of the Q-tips?

Do you  switch them out (Scotchbrite first , then Q-tip)? Denatured alcohol makes a excellent solvent as it dries quickly and leaves 

no film or residue.  

Correction Micro Mark rollers are set of 4.

https://www.micromark.com/O-Ga...s-Assembled-Set-of-4

You can turn the loco upside-down in a foam cradle, connect a couple of test leads, and apply a low-lint cotton rag soaked in 91% isopropyl alcohol to the wheels.  An old pair of cotton briefs with some ribbing is actually a good choice!  Be careful to avoid snagging the driving rods.  Since most O-gauge models are not sprung or equalized, the relationship among the gears should not change whether the loco is operated upside-down or erect.

Also I suggest that you turn Smoke off before you do this.  The smoke element could get hot and make a mess.  Smoke fluid overflow and its residue are the main reasons the track and wheels get dirty in the first place.  Excess grease on spur gear trains as found on postwar steam and many diesels is another cause.  Obviously you have to clean ALL the track and ALL the wheels at once to avoid a rapid recurrence of the problem.

I don't see rollers making the job any easier as sometimes it takes quite a bit of pressure to get the grease off.  You would go through a lot of cotton swabs in a hurry.  If it's caked into sludge you might even need to scrape it off with a plastic utensil.  Avoid using metal tools because if you gouge the wheel the scratch will eventually collect dirt and make the problem worse.  My $.02.

For anybody that has used the rollers: Any complications with rubber tires ?

I "second the motion" about a foam cradle, with the loco held upside-side-down and Q-tips soaked in 91% Isopropyl Alcohol ... with a 1033 transformer providing track power through wires ending with alligator clips; one attached to the loco pick-up roller and the other to ground. Simple but effective.

I once used a Dremel tool with a rotary wire brush, but was advised NOT to use that method (wire bristles can break off and be drawn to the loco via Magnetraction).

Mike M.   LCCA 12394

I 

I use both the foam cradle with test leads and the Micro Mark rollers for powered units. Uncle Pete, I've never had a problem with traction tires when using the rollers. Tugboat mentioned lighted passenger cars and they are a little harder. Like Mike noted in the post above, I use a Dremel tool but I have a Scotch-Brite mounted wheel which will clean the car's wheels without the problem of metal bristles flying off. I put my finger on the wheel to be cleaned which gives it rolling resistance and then carefully touch the spinning Scotch-Brite wheel to it. I vary the pressure of both the Scotch-Brite wheel and my finger "brake" to clean the wheel without spinning it into centrifugal heaven. An application of cleaning fluid (my choice is 70% alcohol) with a cotton tipped applicator, rag or paper towel usually takes off any remaining gunk.

Brass wire brush; the wires are not magnetic and can do much less damage if missed anyhow; being much softer than steel.

Dremel also has stiff plastic brushes that along with solvent, work ok too.

Some locos cannot be operated upside down or may be too delicate for an inversion in a cradle. (foam cradle? still a maybe)

I like the "set it and forget it" aspect of the rollers w/abrasive pads too. I can check back every few minutes to remain lazy....lazier? 

ScotchBrite is great if they aren't gunked real badly (see "scrape" above). (I've bought some cars that looked like smooth steel at first; but it was gunk thick enough to peel off like a tire. (thicker than any tire, lol))

After ScotchBrite, you'll only need a mild touch up with Q-tips, mostly to remove dust and gunk from pits and some other low spots."The finishing touch",  figuratively and literally.

I DO use a cradle, jumpers, and 1033 but I know my stock allows it ...after the pantographs come off anyhow 😉 The rollers sure would be nice for tests and lubing too though (Spinning the excess oil to the wheels outside edge vs sitting on a rag for hours to let gravity do it, sounds good to me.. even if it is only the powered wheels that it works for, they'd see more oil and cleaning)

Just a note, oil cleans pretty well alone. When I lube, I also wipe the wheels down at least some, face and backside too. That tiny bit will protect way more than it effects the traction; a worthy trade off.

One day I am going to invent, design and market a "cleaning section" of track that is just part of your layout and through alternating moist pads it will clean your wheels simply as you run across them. Put it on your mainline or, better yet, as part of a passing siding that you route your trains down every X-number operating session.

In my mind I'm already there. Gonna be rich. All I have to do now is everything.

I've used the Dremel brush method too. Mike M., thanks for the tip about using the metallic brush. About the plastic Dremel brushes; Lowes 

usually has the most complete selection of attachments, however, lately I see lots of empty "hooks". I asked the clerk and he said "They walk out

the door." Any suggestions for a retail (non online) seller of the attachments?   

Uncle Pete:

I've noticed the EHS (Empty Hook Syndrome) at my local Lowe's big box store, but assumed it was due to brisk sales not light-fingered customers.  A local competitor (Home Depot) also carries the Dremel line.

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394

I have never had the drivers on my steam engines dirty enough because of regular scheduled cleaning to be much of a problem.  I simply use Goo-Gone on a Q-tip with the engine upside down in a cradle on the side I can reach.  For the other side, or back side, I use a long pipe cleaner curved around the back side of the driver and pull it back and forth.  Doesn't take long and is not messy at all.

I do the same with the engines... flip and q-tip, but not powered. Is the complete metal frame grounded? Was more looking to see / ideas for all the cars as they free roll... need a scrubber track section.. like a wheel carwash.

I like D500's idea... clean em all at once. 

I'll have to see if I can get a Dremel scrub pad. Do they last a while? Or do you have to replace every... 5 cars.

I've even taken a C-fold towel, tear it so it is maybe a 3" X 10" a single thin layer. Lay it across all 3 rails of track, soak it with alcohol and run the entire train over it several times while holding onto the 10" part.  You can finish with a few runs over the dry towel section and, if it's thin enough, it won't get snagged on the passing wheels. I think it helps and is about the easiest way I know of cleaning car wheels. It helps if they don't have 3D gunk on them to start with.

TJ

I use an old pocket knife and my fingers and scrape the gunk off the wheels over a trash can.

Charlie