How to clean OO HST wheels & pickups?

[centenary]

This avvie, I was finishing off installing a new short lay over siding. That's 30 IP Analogs installed!

Decided to give the new Hornby HST (OO scale) a run. It's been running great so power on F1 to start up, F0 for directional lights, F28 for auto play sounds like horn and brake release etc, open the throttle and moves about 45 centimeters and stops. And it didnt sound good, either.

There was no short as the iP Circuit breakers didnt kick in so I unplugged everything and had a quick check. The new siding wasnt wired to the buss so that wasnt the issue. No metal bits on the track and plugged everything back in. Tried again, opened the throttle and it went about 15 centimeters and stopped again.

Anyway to cut a long story short, after using the ali-oxide track rubber to lift invisible dirt off the track, I checked the HST power car's wheels and pick ups. The pick ups are buried in the bogie frames, even with an illuminated magifying light, I couldnt see where they touched the inner wheel face. Neither did I notice any dirt on the inner wheel surfaces or on the 'treads' themselves.

I ran the power car forwards and backwards for a good 20 minnutes and all seemed good with the world again. I have to admit the track rubber lifted a lot of dirt off the track although looking at the track itself, you wouldnt notice except the track rubber was black (now given a wash and left to air dry!).

But then I thought how the heck could I clean the HST's wheels? I dont know about the previous version but the current OO HST has all driven axles on each of the bogies. There's minimum gearlash with it being brand new and I didnt fancy forcing the wheels against the gears and motor to see if dirt was a problem onall the inner surfaces.

Anyone any ideas how one can clean the pick ups and inner wheel surface without having to dismantle the bogies?

[Mountain]

Can the body be completely removed and one be left with a chassis that has no painted details? If so I know what works well as a cleaner BUT it strips paint so do not use anywhere near RTR paint, and that is electrical switch contact cleaner. Cleans wheels and pick ups well but the slightest spray mist that touches a locos paintwork and the paint comes off!


THE SAFE WAY is to use electrical cleaning alcohol, but one really could do with making it come out in a spray-like mist to get to the pickups and hard to reach areas.
Now ideally it would be good to have a loco on rollers in such a way one can clean from underneath while the wheels are turning... Except we are not exactly 4mm scale people...

Running on 0-12v DC is a lot easier as one can connect a controller direct to the motor terminals BUT ON NO ACCOUNT DO THIS IF IT HAS A DCC DECODER FITTED! DC was so much easier in this way I found.

I would love to buy some rollers. I could do with a lot of things!

[centenary]

Can the body be completely removed and one be left with a chassis that has no painted details? If so I know what works well as a cleaner BUT it strips paint so do not use anywhere near RTR paint, and that is electrical switch contact cleaner. Cleans wheels and pick ups well but the slightest spray mist that touches a locos paintwork and the paint comes off!

Yes it can be removed although I dont fancy doing that every time the wheels need a clean. The model has probably been run for no more than 3 hours over 6 or so separate occasions.

THE SAFE WAY is to use electrical cleaning alcohol, but one really could do with making it come out in a spray-like mist to get to the pickups and hard to reach areas.
Now ideally it would be good to have a loco on rollers in such a way one can clean from underneath while the wheels are turning... Except we are not exactly 4mm scale people...

Running on 0-12v DC is a lot easier as one can connect a controller direct to the motor terminals BUT ON NO ACCOUNT DO THIS IF IT HAS A DCC DECODER FITTED! DC was so much easier in this way I found.

I would love to buy some rollers. I could do with a lot of things!

I keep intending to buy a rolling road. Charlie at Chadwick also demo'd a motor driven wheel cleaner that is built into the layout. As the loco and stock passes through the section, it moves brushes backwards and forwards to 'scrub' the wheels. This may clean the wheel 'tread' that contacts the rails but doe it clean the wheel backs? Im not so sure and it probably costs a fortune!

[Mountain]

Can the body be completely removed and one be left with a chassis that has no painted details? If so I know what works well as a cleaner BUT it strips paint so do not use anywhere near RTR paint, and that is electrical switch contact cleaner. Cleans wheels and pick ups well but the slightest spray mist that touches a locos paintwork and the paint comes off!

Yes it can be removed although I dont fancy doing that every time the wheels need a clean. The model has probably been run for no more than 3 hours over 6 or so separate occasions.

[Yes. That is the issue with more modern models, where in the past diesels had simple clips to undo and the body was off in seconds]

THE SAFE WAY is to use electrical cleaning alcohol, but one really could do with making it come out in a spray-like mist to get to the pickups and hard to reach areas.
Now ideally it would be good to have a loco on rollers in such a way one can clean from underneath while the wheels are turning... Except we are not exactly 4mm scale people...

Running on 0-12v DC is a lot easier as one can connect a controller direct to the motor terminals BUT ON NO ACCOUNT DO THIS IF IT HAS A DCC DECODER FITTED! DC was so much easier in this way I found.

I would love to buy some rollers. I could do with a lot of things!

I keep intending to buy a rolling road. Charlie at Chadwick also demo'd a motor driven wheel cleaner that is built into the layout. As the loco and stock passes through the section, it moves brushes backwards and forwards to 'scrub' the wheels. This may clean the wheel 'tread' that contacts the rails but doe it clean the wheel backs? Im not so sure and it probably costs a fortune!

(SEE ALSO DARKENED PRINT IN THE QUOTE ABOVE. Tried to separate quotes but that will do instead! )
Why I was thinking of the idea of a rolling road that one can apply power, and yet designed in such a way one can spray some sort of "Safe" cleaning fluid from underneath...
I am actually seriously thinking along these lines along with other tools to make things easier in the future.

[Bigmet]

I ran the power car forwards and backwards for a good 20 minutes and all seemed good with the world again. I have to admit the track rubber lifted a lot of dirt off the track although looking at the track itself, you wouldnt notice except the track rubber was black (now given a wash and left to air dry!).

But then I thought how the heck could I clean the HST's wheels?..

My experience with the last 25 years RTR OO product is that most traction models typically only need wheel tyre cleaning after initial running from new, to deal with any manufacturing residues. A little piece of fluff free cloth dampened with IPA across the rails, and hold the loco back as each powered wheelset is on the cloth.
Wheelbacks only need cleaning if the manufacturing operation has put in too much lubricant and it is leaking over the wheelback. Unclipping the bogie frame moulding to get access for a clean up is typically a real PITA, you just have to grit your teeth and do it... Fortunately this has been a rarity the last dozen years or thereabouts.
Regular track cleaning takes care of reliable long term operation, I do this after every operating session, or if operating sessions have been time restricted, after a total of four hours operation has been accrued since previous cleaning.