Dirty wheels!

Martino

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My Bachmann Lyn (latest version) just began acting strangely. Stopping, starting, running fast, then slow. Most odd.

Had a look at the wheels. Certainly not shiny but didn't look too bad. Tried smoke fluid on a cotton bud and got gunk off, but still no good. After trying te same trick with Goop Off, with the same results, tried a very soft polishing head on the dremel. That did it. Got most of the crud off and now it's working fine.

How come the Bachmann wheels get so gunky, when other stuff I have stays clean?

Any thoughts for keeping them clean?

While on the subject of Lyns, my old version doesn't like curves - I don't have anything really tight - it just doesn't like any curves. Any ideas ?
 
I had a Bachmann 2-4-2 purchased in TX, USA, which didn't like R1 curves and would derail the Bachmann coaches I brought for it.

I found it was due to the overhang.

As I couldn't change the R1s due to space constraints, I sold it on with the coaches, and stuck to small or medium sized LGB locos from then on....
 
Older Bachmanns certainly known for having wheels which pick up crud quickly - my 2-4-2T Baldwin (older series model) does and it's a shame 'cos other than that it's a really nice runner. Have they not improved the metal composition of the wheels on the new one then?

No problems with my 2-4-2T on R1 but I am using it with buckeyes not hook'n'loop: actually I found with mine that the double-jointed buckeye mounts were too flexible especially when trying to propell stock, so I've locked one joint on each mount by pinning through.
 
My new Lyn has not really been run that much, but I have experienced similar problems with some of the Bachmann TTE locos.

If my line has not been used much for a while, the Thomas locos seems to spend an hour or so collecting all the crud that the rail cleaning car and block miss. They run erratically and require repeated wheel cleaning, efore settling down and run smoothly for hours and hours.

As you say other (LGB and Playmobil?) locos seen to run silky smooth form the outset, as they have plated wheels and those wonderful skates.

I have wondered if the Bachmann wheels lose their "new-ness" after a while leading to this dirt finding happening, as my new Emily is still running smoothly, even when Thomas and Percy are stuttering or being repeatedly cleaned. I also don't recall this dirt finding happening when Thomas and Percy were new.

James
 
My Bachmann 0-4-0's & 2-4-2's have always been a little fussy when it comes to cleanliness of the track , cleaning the track helps and running metal wheeled stocks helps reduce the need to do this job as frequently.
 
to clean your wheels use a 00 track rubber on them
 
I'm on analogue control, and use the LGB Mk1 track cleaner supplemented by an Aristo track cleaning caboose.

I usually have to clean my loco wheels annually - that seems to be the same for Bachmann cast wheels and Aristo metal tyred plastic wheels (as in the C16 brick)

The Connie has never had its wheels cleaned, and it also picks up on the tender (as do all of my locos).

I clean the wheels with some thinners or acetone on a cotton wool bud while the mechanism runs slowly. You need to use something failry volatile so that it evaporates and doesn't leave any goo behind on the nice clean wheel :bigsmile:
 
I had the oppsite experience with a Bachmann Annie. From new it was hopeless stopping, starting and juddering but once the blackening had worn from the drivers it was OK. I usually run all metal wheels which helps.
I don't know what it is that comes off the plastic ones but there is so much crud I am surprised they don't wear down to the spokes. Besides putting it on to the track they also manage to build up deposits on the tyre area.
One loco I do have to wheel clean once a year is the Accucraft Caledonia.
 
Annies do collect crud pretty easily especially if the track is damp. It is due to the cast metal surface being pitted even when new (you have to look very closely). This begins the crud collection which then has a nice surface for more to gather etc etc. Also as more crud develops you get arching and that causes more pitting and also deposits more crud on the track which then get picked up and so on.
The 'Spectrum' range have better wheels and the crud takes longer to build up.
All driving wheels will collect some crud if run with track power in damp conditions anyway.
My USA Trains are the best at not collecting but then the traction tyres do need cleaning more than the wheels!
 
Blades of grass lying across the track cause a nasty sticky build-up that will stop any loco. It was a major incentive to my getting on with laying a 'proper' track base and getting the rails off the lawn.
 
I have what I thought was the LGB Mk1 Track Cleaner.... A LGB made assembly containing a pair of sprung plungers that screw under a coach or wagon. I have had this since 1978!

I glue grinding pads onto the plungers and these can be replaced, as necessary. Since I have an all year round railway now, (instead of one that appears in the summer for a few days and then ges away) I have found that the emery type pads that I have used for years, quickly deteriorate when they get wet, so I acquired some water resistant stuff from Squires that appears to live up what it says on the packet.

I also use a MK 0 type which is large grinding block that Squires also provide. This is good for cleaning sliders on LGB and Playmo too. The one that Peco supply is realtively expensive and just too small for G scale.

The loco wheels are cleaned with an Electrically connected brass brush. I used the PECO one for years but they were frankly too small. I have one that does both wheels at once now. Can't recall the make - Aristo? Need to check. It has a third wire for conecting when working Pantograph locos are being cleaned.

What I would really love to get is a Loco Cradle for putting anupturned loco in, whilst the wheels are cleaned. I have a PECO one for 00/H0, but with G scale the loco ends up being perched on my knees, or placed on a garden kneeling pad. This is fine, but the loco often needs 'shoring up' to keep it steady when it is being worked on.

Anyone got any suggestions on something suitable?

James
 
James Day said:
What I would really love to get is a Loco Cradle for putting anupturned loco in, whilst the wheels are cleaned...
Anyone got any suggestions on something suitable?

Use the lid of the polystyrene box it came in, that'll be moulded to support the cab roof etc. nicely.
 
Martino said:
My Bachmann Lyn (latest version) just began acting strangely. Stopping, starting, running fast, then slow. Most odd.

Had a look at the wheels. Certainly not shiny but didn't look too bad. Tried smoke fluid on a cotton bud and got gunk off, but still no good. After trying te same trick with Goop Off, with the same results, tried a very soft polishing head on the dremel. That did it. Got most of the crud off and now it's working fine.

How come the Bachmann wheels get so gunky, when other stuff I have stays clean?

Any thoughts for keeping them clean?

Martino - have had two of these and both started to gunk up after less than 20hrs running - and as my track is sort of covered over it does not get real dirty - like some fully open ground layouts.
I run an lgb track cleaner (legs on wagon type) and an Aristo cabose (Brillo pad type) round for a few laps before every run and all my stock now has metal wheels.

With the first one I ran it till it stutered each time, then cleaned ended up using a track rubber - within a very short time i found (10-12 scrubs) the wheels cruded up almost constantly and were basically shot.

So with the second one (see pic) i literally wipe the wheels down with LGB track cleaner, after every run - its a complete pain in the neck - but so far no stutering and no extra visible wear on the wheels.

If you think the Lynn is bad try the Aristo 0-6-0 switcher they run for less than an hour and regardless how clean the track is they crud up, the oldest (of 3) already has a set of totally wiped out wheels the only way it will run is with a track cleaner in the consist- it's done less than 50 hours.

ntpntpntp said:
Use the lid of the polystyrene box it came in, that'll be moulded to support the cab roof etc. nicely.

Good idea works fairly well on most Loco's - but not all see below for one good reason :thinking:

Ohh and don't be tempted to do it with a Shay - Don't ask me how i know that

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Thanks folks. Interesting.

I'm pretty fastidious with cleaning the track, and have metal wheels on all stock.

I think it's just a fact that the wheels are slightly imperfect to start with and they pick up anything that's around. Regardless of cleanliness a garden line will always get some crud, even during an operating session. These imperfections then start an arcing process as Beavercreek suggests, and that just continues the evil cycle.

Hopefully I've cracked it with the dremel and the soft polishing.

As regards the original Lyn on the curves, I use chopper couplings and don't have anything like an R1 curve. Tightest I think are R3. But even on its own, the original Lyn, just slows right down on any sort of curve.
 
As far as my layout is concerned, as I said in the post before, the really bad crudding (?) happens when the track is moist or wet. The Bachmann cast drivers are pretty good in the dry (but do pit a bit) but damp conditions are a real problem after a long run. The wheels can spin a little on my heavy inclines if I have a real load for the loco to haul and this increases the whole crudding situation.
Also do not use the LGB track cleaner in damp or wet conditions it will really gum up the cleaning wheels or even the older spring mounted pads.
 
About 50% of my line is in shade and I had to give up with using an LGB track cleaning loco because of this. I now have a couple of short wagons (1 US and 1 UK outline) fitted with the LGB springy legs and usually run with one in a consist to keep things clean.

Peco make an electrical coductivity fluid that I have found can be helpfull as a finishing touch once you have cleaned up your pick up wheels (tiny bottle, a bit pricey). Use this and the above as part of regular cleaning regime with my old Bachmann Lyn to keep thing running smoothly.

Don't forget to avoid the temptation of abrading pick-up wheels as this will just provide a perfect surface for any crud to "key" onto quickly and build up. I just use smoke oil on a Q-Tip.

Max
 
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