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Offline 5HorizonsRR  
#1 Posted : 16 April 2020 07:58:57(UTC)
5HorizonsRR

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 2,863
Location: CA, USA
Hi everyone,

I am staring at a pile of trains with wheels that need to be cleaned, and it made me thing to ask the forum their favorite methods/tips and tricks to do so effectively and rapidly?

To share mine, here is a list:

1- have clean track to begin with! It all starts here...
2- For older Marklin, a dremel tool with wire wheel attachment makes very quick work out of the wheels. Be careful if you have plastic trucks though!

I'm finding the newer marklin with the blackened wheel coatings don't do well with this tactic, and even worse is the plastic details which dictate wheel removal to begin with. (which is fine, but an extra step vs vintage marklin)

So what do you guys do to clean newer style marklin wheels?
SBB Era 2-5
Offline Janne75  
#2 Posted : 16 April 2020 20:44:08(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
I use some electric cleaner with cotton tip to clean them usually. Care must be taken not to remove color from loco or it’s wheels. If I buy some second hand locos or rolling stock with very dirty wheels with a black thick layer of ”grit” I just use my finger nail to remove that black layer. It will just cut in pieces when turning those wheels against my finger nails so the cleaning is quite fast after this.

Cheers,
Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by Janne75
Offline JohnjeanB  
#3 Posted : 16 April 2020 21:57:46(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,084
Location: Paris, France
Hi

Remove with fine tweezers the hair and fibrous stuff near the axles, finish with a hard brush

For wheels, one method is to install the loco upside down on a pre-cut large sponge (so that the loco will hold in place). Power it with mini crocodile plugs.
Remove the big dirt aggregate (if any) with a small screwdriver very lightly pressed on the wheel surface
Repeat the process with a wooden flat stick (coffee stirrer) instead of the screwdriver.
Finish with a cotton swab with very little alcool /Isopropyl alcool (ATTENTION alcool will dilute many Marklin paints)
Clean the contact shoe with contact spray or contact liquid especially around the extremity buckles of the slider.
Cheers
Jean
thanks 2 users liked this useful post by JohnjeanB
Offline owidgie  
#4 Posted : 18 April 2020 21:16:04(UTC)
owidgie

United States   
Joined: 03/06/2007(UTC)
Posts: 149
Hello all.

I think you are on the right track (pun intended) with the Dremel.

I use it to clean wheels and armatures. The trick is to find SILICONE POLISHING bits for a Dremel. These are basically like the track cleaner/erasers (Bright Boy) for a Dremel. I get mine from jemcousa.com

These are accurate and make short work of dirty wheels. There are various shapes to choose from.

Rick

IMG_3705.jpg
Offline JohnjeanB  
#5 Posted : 18 April 2020 21:46:59(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,084
Location: Paris, France
Hi
IMO using a dremel-like tool to clean wheels poses the following issues.
- on many non-driving wheels, the axle bearing is a piece of plastic that may be prematurely worn off
- on cars, most axles are conical resting on conical bearings. The wheel assembly bearing is a zone much less than 1 mm² which can be deteriorated when forcing a wheel to turn rapidly.
- on drivers the impact is not much better especially in the long run.
That is only my opinion having opened and repaired many times my Märklin locos and cars.
Cheers
Jean
Offline 5HorizonsRR  
#6 Posted : 20 April 2020 01:54:21(UTC)
5HorizonsRR

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 2,863
Location: CA, USA
Originally Posted by: owidgie Go to Quoted Post
Hello all.

I think you are on the right track (pun intended) with the Dremel.

I use it to clean wheels and armatures. The trick is to find SILICONE POLISHING bits for a Dremel. These are basically like the track cleaner/erasers (Bright Boy) for a Dremel. I get mine from jemcousa.com

These are accurate and make short work of dirty wheels. There are various shapes to choose from.

Rick


Brilliant Rick! Much better than a wire brush on the dremel. I'll have to order some up.

The other amazing tip is cigarette lighter fluid (which I had heard of using before) on "eye tees" which are a makeup thing of sorts that is much more durable than a q tip. I've ordered a box on amazon to try out!
SBB Era 2-5
Offline owidgie  
#7 Posted : 21 April 2020 19:57:02(UTC)
owidgie

United States   
Joined: 03/06/2007(UTC)
Posts: 149
Great, I think they work well and it is fast.

What John said is correct but I put drag on the other wheel of the axle with my thumb so the wheel doesn't spin too fast when I do this. Also give the dremel about 25-30 degrees of angle and have it on the slowest speed.

Rick
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by owidgie
Offline jimwallace1652  
#8 Posted : 01 May 2020 19:11:41(UTC)
jimwallace1652

United States   
Joined: 20/08/2013(UTC)
Posts: 35
Location: usa
I use Ronson Lighter Fluid. I dampen a white rag (T shirt) soak it with the Lighter Fluid , then place rag on a spare piece of M track or two and with my hand run the car back and forth on the rails.

Wheels on freight cars get cleaned and there is no damage plastic or metal on body of car. Most of dirt/grime comes off. Shirt gets very dirty!!!

I use a very small screw driver to gently chip off stubborn grime.

More Good news Ronson evaporates quickly and leaves no film.

Jim
Offline owidgie  
#9 Posted : 01 May 2020 19:43:48(UTC)
owidgie

United States   
Joined: 03/06/2007(UTC)
Posts: 149
I recommend using smoke fluid for track cleaning - Smoke fluid is just kerosene, so save yourself some money and get a quart from your local hardware store.

If you insist on using Ronson lighter fluid, it is just Naphtha. So again save yourself some money and pick up a quart from the hardware store while you are getting your kerosene.

Rick
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Offline Tom Jessop  
#10 Posted : 05 May 2020 05:43:17(UTC)
Tom Jessop

Australia   
Joined: 14/12/2002(UTC)
Posts: 800
Location: Newcastle NSW Australia




While in Lockdown due to Corana Virus I have been ding some digging on other sites & came across this company in Switzerland that has some interesting accessories which included a vacuum track cleaner & another one which has felt ? pads for cleaning rail head suitable for either 2 or 3 rail in most gauges . No price mentioned but they seem to be the " Ants Pants " for cleaning work on the Modelbahn .


https://www.rail4you.ch/




Cheers Tom in Oz.
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