Rotating the wheels!

[Nine Elms]

Good afternoon All.

I have a Class 61 2-6-2 Prairie Loco and I want to clean the wheels. I have taken the body apart but don't know where to apply the power to spin the wheels. I have an 8pin decoder fitted with many coloured wires (as you all know) but confused as to which goes where!!

Thank in anticipation of some guidance.

John

[Rog (RJ)]

You can just apply power to the wheels. What I do is have a short section of track powered up and briefly touch the loco wheels to the rails.

[Walkingthedog]

Put the loco body back on. Attach crocodile clips to a couple of wires which you can clip to your track, turn the loco over, then touch the other ends of the wires to the loco wheels. I made this to touch the wheels.

[Nine Elms]

Thank you WTD a good idea. Had to get Management onboard to hold the cotton bud, but I will now make a "forked wim wam" and that will allow a one person operation.

John

Mod edit. Duplicate post deleted

[RAF96]

If DC running is enabled on the decoder just touch a 9v battery terminals across the driver wheels.

[Brian]

Consider obtaining a Peco wheel cleaning brush and their scraper PL-42 and PL-43 plus two small crocodile clips. The brush and scraper connect to the rails via the Croc. clips. Turn loco upside down. Set locos address number on DCC console and turn up speed knob. Apply brush to one sides driving wheels and the scraper to the opposite sides wheel. Wheels will turn and the brush removes crud and cleans the wheel rims.
For non powered wheels I use a fibre pencil. But the PL-42 will do the same job.