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7 Responses to How to repair Locomotives & Lubricate?
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I have the same problem. I have a Hallmark Brass locomotive that hasn’t been run in 25-30 years
I remove the shell. Inspect everything, check for any loose items. Oil gears and motor bearings. I use full synthetic auto transmission oil. It smells when you first use it, however goes away quickly. Look on utube there are good sites that show you step by step. It’s not hard, just takes practice.
Totally agree with synthetic automatic transmission fluid: plastic safe to start with and be VERY sparing with your application. One drop is 10 – 20 times as much as you need. Use a very fine micro brush or the tip of a toothpick.
If you can obtain exploded view sheets, great. Never seen any for brass steam. As you remove the screws holding the boiler/frame together’ remember where each screw goes. I like Labelle 104 on the worm and 16 on gears/bearing
Thank you all!
Be careful to not over-lubricate them, as lubrication draws dirt and dust like a magnet, and will cause stuff to build up on moving parts. ON open frame motors, you may need to clean the armatures if the unit has not been run for some time. Check the connecting rods for binding and clearance, also check the quartering of the drivers to prevent any binding. Always be sure to keep the wheels clean on both Loco and tender, for good electrical pickup, also any wheel contact wipers. Make sure that the link between loco and tender is free to move, but yet a good electrical connection if it’s made to be. The leading and trailing trucks need the right amount of tension and freedom to move to prevent derailing, especially on curves. Inspect the gears for proper meshing and clearance for smooth running.
Old brass may have dried up gunk where they “lubed” it. You may have to clean that off first. Try Mineral Oil to clean. For lubing the side rods, use a light oil. For those gears/worm? use a slightly thicker lube. LaBelle makes the best. At your LHS, ask about LaBelle and they can advise. As stated, a bare drop may be too much. A toothpick or needle type tool is best as they dispense less than a drop.