General electric loco maintenance
- Thread starter Mez
- Start date
minimans
Trains, Planes, Automobiles & Shooting
I'm a mechanic so my trains of course are the worlds.................worst serviced trains! I tend to run infrequently and with different engines so in the scheme of things each loco doesn't get much use. I clean the wheels occasionally and thats about it. On some of my really early loco's I have changed the brushes and skates due to wear but thats all. and after 20 odd years apart from the ones I've bashed or broken for parts they all still work so my advise is don't mess with them too much!!!
Gizzy
A gentleman, a scholar, and a railway modeller....
Certainly I would avoid over lubricating any LGB or Piko loco.
Too much grease on the worm and gear drives and it will find its way into the motor housings.
I've replaced the brushes and skates when worn, but really, apart from cleaning, that's about all you need to do....
Too much grease on the worm and gear drives and it will find its way into the motor housings.
I've replaced the brushes and skates when worn, but really, apart from cleaning, that's about all you need to do....
stevedenver
Registered
well
LGB -occasional new grease-like every ten years-a drop of plastic compatibel oil on wheel, axel and motor bearings-a drop on rotating parts like drive rods
others-like my bachman shay-need lube more frequently-the outside gears
i also suggest graphite works nicely for drive rod parts as it will not attract and hold onto grits etc
if you cant get lgb grease-which is very good-teflon based model rr grease is also quite good in my experience
it is true less is more
LGB -occasional new grease-like every ten years-a drop of plastic compatibel oil on wheel, axel and motor bearings-a drop on rotating parts like drive rods
others-like my bachman shay-need lube more frequently-the outside gears
i also suggest graphite works nicely for drive rod parts as it will not attract and hold onto grits etc
if you cant get lgb grease-which is very good-teflon based model rr grease is also quite good in my experience
it is true less is more
chris m01
Registered
With USAT locos I tend to open up the power trucks to clean the internal pick ups just once a year, around about now. Somehow these internal pick ups do get dirty over a years worth of running. I also clean and re-grease the ends of the axles while the bogie is apart. I think I do this because I bought some genuine USAT conductive grease some years ago when I visited the shop. If I regrease all the axles every year this little pot should last about 20 years. This year all of the grease seemed to have gone from round the gears on my oldest locos so I put some new white grease on these. Apart from wheel cleaning that should be it for this year.
Of course I am very careful with these locos and never give them a hard time
Of course I am very careful with these locos and never give them a hard time
