pre-servicing requirements for steam engines

[roger]

Just bought the Spectrum 2-6-0/sound....besides lightly oiling the rods and external moving parts of the drive, are there any special things to be done before running it, or any other steam engine?

[richg]

I have never had to even what you did to any of my HO steamers.

Rich

[Joe323]

I agree with richg also I would run it backwards and forwards by itself for about 10 to 20 minutes to break it in. Kinda like buying a new car ah.

[Doneldon]

rog-

Many locomotives in the past came with fairly extensive pre-operation lubrication instructions. Basically, this was because the lubrication might melt in the sometimes high temperatures to which merchandise is subjected during shipping and warehousing, potentially damaging paint and lettering. However, I haven't seen such recommendations recently. I suppose that's because manufacturing tolerances are tighter and metalurgy is more advanced even in models and toys. It's like our cars, I suppose. I remember the first time I was told my new car didn't need to be lubricated because there weren't any zerks. I was sure the gas station guy was a dummy and I wasn't satisfied until a Toyota service writer confirmed the fact. Well, there was a dummy all right, but it wasn't the gas station guy.

My family used to move from the midwest to southern California for three months every summer when I was a kid (due to my Dad's work) and I recall that we had to stop at least once each direction for oil changes and lube jobs, and usually to tune the car for high elevations or low elevations. Now most cars go 7500 miles between oil changes, they don't burn any oil at all, there's nothing to lube and you can't tune a modern car no matter how much you might want to.

I guess this all means you don't need to worry about lubing your new locos but I would still advise running them in both directions at different speeds and around both left- and right-hand curves for 30 to 60 minutes before putting them into general service. And do follow in-service lubrication recommendations, if any.
                                                                                                                                                                                                           -- D

[richg]

For some reason, many new users believe a new loco needs lubrication. Some even want to lubricate the wheels on the tenders or linkage on a steamer. Some even want to lubricate the wheels on rolling stock.
Some seem to think a poor running loco, whether a mechanical or decoder issue, needs lubrication.
Go figure.

Rich

[JRG1951]

I would suggest an inspection for loose parts and a quick lubrication with the right type of oils and grease.
The oils and grease should be of high quality and plastic compatible

Remember that a little of the wrong type of lubrication can destroy a good engine. No WD-40 or 3in1 oils.
I have seen more that one Bachmann 4-8-4 with destroyed axles because of the wrong type of oil.

I have seen a new 2-8-4 engine pole vault off the track because of a loose side rod.
I do not have a lot of trust in a assembler that makes less  than a buck an hour.

Regards
John
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You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team,
or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.  >> Frank Zappa

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

For some reason, many new users believe a new loco needs lubrication. Some even want to lubricate the wheels on the tenders or linkage on a steamer. Some even want to lubricate the wheels on rolling stock.
Some seem to think a poor running loco, whether a mechanical or decoder issue, needs lubrication.
Go figure.

Rich

That was my grandpa's remedy for just about anything. If it didn't operate the way it was supposed to, oil it. 

[JRG1951]

Jeff Wrote

"That was my grandpa's remedy for just about anything. If it didn't operate the way it was supposed to, oil it."

I'll bet his stuff did not wear out as fast as the other peoples stuff did. Many parts are metal to plastic and with insignificant lubricants they will wear faster.

To much oil is a bad thing, but so is to little. With over lubrication you have to clean the gunk off. With under lubrication you have to replace worn parts!

Regards
John
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"I never gave anyone HELL...I just told them the Truth and they thought it was Hell"    >> H. Truman 1958

[jonathan]

Been following this thread with some interest. I like to find out how others handle their new steamers before running them.

I don't recommend this for everyone, but I carry it to the extreme.  I disassemble my steam locomotives, before I ever run them.  This is to look for little problems that could become big problems later.  In the past, I have discovered little things like bent pickup brushes, misaligned wiring, split drive belts, and/or drive rods that were a bit out of alignment.  In general I'm looking for things that are not assembled the way they were intended.  Call it an ounce of prevention.

As far as lubrication goes... I agree little, or none may be required as Bachmann locos tend to have plenty of grease/oil when assembled.  However, I do add a tiny drop of light oil to the motor axle bushings bearings?).  Probably not needed, but I don't think it hurts either. 

I DO believe in adding light oil to the eccentric crank pin.  This is a spot that receives stress and friction, and I believe, can wear out after many, many hours of running.

Just an opinion:  I have never had to return a Bachmann loco for repair/replacement due to taking these preventative measures. Of course, disassembly runs the risk of breaking or losing parts in the process. Again, it's not for everyone.

Regards,

Jonathan

[electrical whiz kid]

Jon;
Opinions are always good.  Labelle has a good line of lubricants.
Rich C.

[K487]

I agree mostly with jonathan because of my experience with about 20 new Bachmann engine purchases in the past two years - and most all of these models are older ones.

The one thing I've experienced particularly with the diesel locos is that over half of these 20 locos needed some oil on one or both motor shaft bearings, and about a third of the engines needed it on one or more of the worm gears' bearings.  Was this needed because of a defect?  No.  My thinking is that most of these locos sat around in storage for many years, some probably more than ten or 15 years, and some of the lube simply dried up.

I agree with RichC above, and I now use Labelle 107 on all loco metal bearings and most of the gears and gear bearings.  By the way how much do I use?  Well, the 107 oil container comes with a metal tube on the end as its applicator.  It is handy, but for my loco bearings one drop from this applicator it's WAY too much.  I put the 107 in a hypo syring with the pointed needle tip cut off (those things are SHARP!) and use one drop from it for each bearing (a drop from this applicator is about 1/4 or less of a drop from the Labelle applicator.)

Because my Bachmann diesel locos (and possibly other brands of locos too) need relubing about every 50 hours of operation, I use 107 on their bearings but also on their commutator plates (accessed through their viewing/venting portholes).  I am beginning to think that lubing the comm plates (as well as the bearings) is THE key to a long loco life, and I currently have a thread on this topic on another forum here:

http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28859

Hope this is helpful.

K487