# Lubrication & Maintenance



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I just ran across this article:

*Lubrication & Maintenance...

I have heard horror stories about locomotives with alot of moving parts simply falling apart right out of the box, even after lubrication. I have also heard of locomotives that need lubrication every 10 hours of use, or some ridiculous number like that. Well, not with this locomotive. Once opened, a first time lubrication of the valve gear and side rods is all that is needed. The motor and ball bearings are sealed and water proof, therefore, lubrication is not needed, it has been done for you at the factory. The side rods and valve gear should be lubricated a few times a year, 3 or 4 , depending on the amount of use the locomotive gets. Now, there are some purists who feel you should lubricate every 10 minutes, my experience has show this is not necessary with LGB locomotives. I own about 30 engines, I lubricate them 3 to 4 times per year (side rods, valve gear, slider shoe spring). I have never once opened up an LGB locomotive to lubricate the motor, never once. My oldest engines are 10 years old, they run as good now as they did 10 years ago.*

http://www.trainweb.org/jlsrr/product-reviews/brunig/brunig.htm

What was interesting to me is that Lubrication & Maintenance seems to be a grey area with a lot of facts and opinions (including mine). The truth is that I don't know what to believe.

Yesterday I picked up a few LGB coal tipple cars (with small LGB metal wheels) that were laying down.

As I put them back on the track I was surprised at the resistance they had to rolling on the track. They are more of a static display and I have not moved them in years. I also have not lubricated them in years. A few drops of LGB oil and they were once again rolling smoothly.

That caused me to reflect that I have no lubrication and or maintenance schedule for anything. Most things simply sit on the layout for years unless and until they give me some sort of problem causing me to reach for LGB oil or gear grease. I don't even know if I'm using the right oil or grease especially when I change from plastic gears to metal gears or other moving parts.

With my vehicles I'm just as sloppy. I try to get them to the dealers every 2500 miles or once a year but frequently years slip by with nothing getting an oil change. I usually let the brand of vehicle dictate the dealer and brand of oil.

What about you?

What are your maintenance schedules for your trains and how do you determine what to lube?

When and with what?


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