cleaning freight car wheels

[diesel]

Does anyone know if there's an appliance that will clean the black gunk that builds up on freight car wheels?
I've tried the trick of using a wire brush in a dremel and the results were dismal at best.

I'm thinking of something that spins the wheels on against a fixed wire brush.

[Packer]

have you tried just running the car over an alcohol soaked paper towel? I do that with my Kato business car, so I imagine it'd work with normal freight cars

[m a y o r 79]

Alcohol on a paper towel is my preferred method as well, works really well and its simple.

[mdtraindrvr]

Basic question, are your wheels plastic? If so, swap them out with metal ones (Intermountain is the standard at our club). Otherwise, you'll be doing this periodically. 33" for freight, and 36" for passenger.

Don't throw out the plastic wheel sets. They make a great load of wheels.