Does anyone else have trouble with Atlas Locos and dirty wheels?

Just curious, I have been running my current layout for a few years and have numerous locos from Atlas and Kato. Granted my track isn't as clean as it could be (hopefully my newly purchased atlas track cleaning car and some elbow grease will help that) but when I run my trains it always seems that my KATO units run smooth and clean for quite some time but my atlas units get dirty quick. Does anyone else notice this? I am in the process of cleaning wheel sets etc... to stop some of this but why would there be such a difference.

Typing with dry alchohol soaked hands...

 

Other than that the Kato's run a lot better clean or dirty, no.

 

Atlas locos typically have 4 axles Kato's 6. So each axle on an Atlas must pick up more dirt than a Kato to keep the track clean.

 

?

 

I have noticed the different finishes between Kato & Atlas wheels.Kato seems to be a nickel plated or something which I think makes it harder for crud to stick to the tread & Atlas seems to be just a acid washed/blackened brass finish which IMHO seems to hold the crud easier.Atlas loco's seem to pull alot more tonnage when wheels are clean & run in (ie: the blackened finish has worn off) & true what Fotheringill said,Kato runs smooth clean or dirty,but tend to slip abit easier when under heavy load.
Either way all club members (Sydney N scale mrrc) use methilated spirits to clean loco wheels,dries with no residue & really gets the crud off.

[ 31. December 2004, 02:40: Message edited by: JASON ]

 

Oh yeah, I see this all the time. I'm always cleaning my Atlas loco wheels, and rarely if ever have to clean Katos.

My theory is that the Katos are heavier and slip less, and I also agree w/ previous comments about Kato using a different metal/alloy on their wheels.

Kato wheels have a definite shine to them that Atlas don't have - but Atlas do seem to get better as the wheels wear some.

 

Never thought much about it. I don't have many Atlas locos; other manufacturers have been producing my transition-era locos. I haven't been cleaning wheels on any loco for a while, though I have been cleaning track.

 

Same problem here.
My theory is that Atlas locos don't lash up with each other or anything else very well and as such wear off the finish on the wheels quickly.

My first 2 locos were Atlas SD-60s. One ran much faster than the other. I ran them on my layout together and the wheel finish was toast after about 2 hours of running time.
I ordered all new wheels for them and they ran great again.
Now that they have decoders in them I have them speed matched fairly well. No more problem.

 

No, absolutely not.

The only loco wheels I own that need cleaning are very old Minitrix and a few early 1990's production plastic frame Life Like with the blackened wheels that turn brassy or bronze looking with high miles.

On the other hand, I have early Kato diesels and early Atlas diesels with Kato mechanisms that need to be taken apart and the contact points between the the split-frame trucks and the split main loco frame cleaned. I also have a 4-wheel Kato tram and a "pocket train" with a powered coach that need frequent wheel cleaning, as do all my Kato cars with lights in them.

The rest of the stuff - split and plastic frame Life Like from the E7/PA/SD7 stuff forward, including the SWs, Alco AB sets, and C-Liners, Atlas China and newer low speed motored, Kato Mikes, RS2s and SDs - none of these have ever needed the wheels cleaned. Never. Some of them are approaching 10 years of use. Never cleaned a wheel ever.

All of this is high-mileage stuff. I use a dry method of track cleaning, and never have the "gunk" everyone else complains about. Peco C80 and C55 on the semi-permantent NTrak layout, where I ran 3 times for a total of 15 hours so far this week during the holiday lights, and Unitrack at home.

I am convinced the hot, dry environment, the choice of track, and the dry cleaning method combined have a lot to do with my freedom from track and wheel cleaning drudgery. I have a dry slider car I run 5 laps on the NTrak before I put my trains on, and I clean my Unitrack at home once or twice a year. I have never had to clean a plastic MT wheelset in over 7 years of high miles usage, either.

 

Guys around here think that any abrasive cleaning pits wheels. If that method is used, and Atlas uses a lesser metal, its possible that they pit more easily, collecting dirt, and reducing electrical contact.

Just an opinion.....

 

LongTrain, would you provide some details on the dry slider car, who makes them, where they can be bought, approximate cost? I think I've seen these at some shows, but don't recall any information on them. It sounds like these have worked well for you. Thanks, Al.

 

Here's a track cleaning car made by Roco, modified into as piece of PRR work equipment:

 

I have one of the Roco cars with the rubbery pad, but the one I use the most is home-made from an ancient MRC 50 foot DD box car with a metal underframe. The "pad" is just a slab of masonite, with countersunk holes for the mounting screws. The screws match up with holes drilled in the metal floor, and coil springs around the shank of the screws, and sandwiched between the pad and the floor, provide a slight amount of downforce. The pad has the "graham cracker" side of the masonite "down" so there is a pattern and plenty of fibers to pick up dirt. There are jam nuts on the screws above the floor to keep the pad from falling off.

When the pad gets dirty, I clean it with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol. I have had this car for many years, and I doubt it will ever wear out.

 

LongTrain -
I'm curious as to what your car looks like & how you put it together. Can you post a pic of the workings?

Thanks

 

Dave:

Check your email. Or write me.

 

My Atlas locos need cleaning about twice as often as my Katos. I use 91% alcohol with stellar results. I also believe its the wheel tread difference.
Jeff