Weekend Photos - February 2026

[healey36]

The American Flyer Red Bird from 1931:

. Just

One of Flyer's bottom-rung sets as the Great Depression deepened, the Red Bird featured a 3182 locomotive/tender combination with 3141/3142 wide-bodied coach and observation.

These two cars are pretty much as found, with the exception of the roofs. What is it with Flyer prewar roofs that cause the paint to craze and eventually flake off? Just the roof, not the body...it makes no sense. These probably had just 30% of their roof paint remaining. The original roof color is slightly darker than the body, so not the same paint. I stripped, then repainted using some Train Enamel dark red. Doesn't look quite dark enough from an accuracy standpoint, but looks decent to me.

I have a wide-bodied baggage car around here somewhere. Instead of stamped lettering, it has decals applied (later version of finish), and the roof is in decent original shape.

[webenda]

Cool photo Healey36. The photographer's are out of the zone. The zone of focus that is.

I like the train. I am curious about how everyone takes care of train maintenance. How often do you oil the engine motor and axles? How about the tender and passenger cars?

My answer to the same question is "never."

[healey36]

I am curious about how everyone takes care of train maintenance. How often do you oil the engine motor and axles? How about the tender and passenger cars?

My answer to the same question is "never."

I try to be pretty judicious in lubricating locomotives. If it's a piece that hasn't been run in months, then a very light oiling of axle bearings, the armature shaft (both ends), running gear, and contact rollers is done.

With regards to rolling stock, I'm really bad about lubricating that stuff. It's interesting as most of the prewar stuff I have has specific instructions/recommendations for lubrication on a label pasted to the underside. It can make a big difference on tinplate cars, especially if there's a bit of corrosion on the axles. I should experiment a bit and see how much of a difference it might make.

Does postwar rolling stock require lubrication, especially the early stuff (1946-1950 or so)?

Another question - what are you using for lubrication? I have a bunch of stuff here, ranging from Lionel proprietary lubricants, clock oil, sewing machine lubricant, down to things like 3-In-1 oil. Lately I've been using 0W-20 synthetic motor oil. Can't say I've really noticed any difference in performance by any of them.

[webenda]

Does postwar rolling stock require lubrication, especially the early stuff (1946-1950 or so)?

Another question - what are you using for lubrication? I have a bunch of stuff here, ranging from Lionel proprietary lubricants, clock oil, sewing machine lubricant, down to things like 3-In-1 oil. Lately I've been using 0W-20 synthetic motor oil. Can't say I've really noticed any difference in performance by any of them.

I guess yes on your postwar question, except for Delrin bearings. Delrin is said to be self-lubricating.*

What am I using? I said I never lubricate my trains.

If I get something that is really hard to roll down the track, I use 3-IN-ONE Multipurpose Oil on things that will hold oil and Lucas White Lithium Grease on anything that will not hold oil (like open gears). The only reason I use those products is that they are easy to acquire.

* I disagree with the term self-lubricating for Delrin, but it is in the vernacular, so I use it. I looked up self-lubricating and found that sandpaper is self-lubricating.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I disagree with the term self-lubricating for Delrin, but it is in the vernacular, so I use it. I looked up self-lubricating and found that sandpaper is self-lubricating.

It does seem to be a bit odd terminology; almost all of my freight trucks are Delrin with metal wheelsets which roll right of the work bench if allowed.

I tend to minimally use 3-in-1 or Labelle oils for metal on metal in trucks. It does however seem to be an attractant for dust and debris.

[healey36]

What am I using? I said I never lubricate my trains.

LOL, I was directing that query to the readers in general (presuming there are any). Many seem to have different "favorites", but I've found little difference when applying in such small amounts.

I have also used the electronic cleaner/lubricant I used to get at Radio Shack in a small aerosol can. That stuff was useful for cleaning/polishing the face of commutators. That can make a big difference when bringing shelf-queens back to the living.

[robert.]

Would graphite powder work?

[healey36]

Would graphite powder work?

I'm thinking graphite would not be a good choice, at least for me. Every time I've used it, it gets all over everything. I've used it in door-locks with some success; otherwise, not much.

[webenda]

Would graphite powder work?

Harley says, "Every time I've used it, it gets all over everything."

There is Kadee Greas-em Dry Graphite Lubricant."
Kadee says, "Add a puff inside your couplers,
And, "It is also an excellent general-purpose lubricant for use all around the layout to reduce friction in moving parts and bearing surfaces."
Reference: https://shop.trains.com/products/kadee- ... -lubricant

There is a company called SLIP Plate that created a liquid product with graphite mixed in. You apply it, and the liquid evaporates, leaving behind a dry graphite film.
Reference: https://www.slipplate.com/products/application/railroad

So, based on what I read, I think graphite would work, but it might be as messy as too much oil.*
Reference: https://streettechmag.com/2015/06/18/te ... -it-works/

*Once upon a time, I was at the Gadsden-Pacific Division Toy Train Operating Museum watching a train run on the quietest Lionel model train layout I have heard. The layout builder stopped the train every few laps to wipe oil off the tracks. He told those watching, "I think I over-oiled the engine and cars."

[healey36]

I've seen tubes of Kadee's GreasEm product up at MainlIne Hobby but have never tried it.

What's a good grease for gear-boxes? I've heard that the stuff Lionel used back in the day can get hard as a rock years on. I've got a prewar 226E that needs a tear-down, and I'm guessing the grease in the gearbox might have hardened.

[webenda]

I've heard that the stuff Lionel used back in the day can get hard as a rock years on.

As with any grease, once most of the oil weeps out, what remains is mostly soap. Hard as a rock might be an exaggeration. The worst I have seen was what looked like sawdust in a Snap-On torque wrench. The stuff wasn't hard; it felt like putty. I had opened it up because it clicked at a different out-of-tolerance reading on the torque calibrator every time I tested it. Adjusting it was of no use. After cleaning and adding new grease, it tested repeatedly within tolerance.

Grease is designed to weep. The soap is not a lubricant. It is like a sponge to hold oil. Journal-bearing Railroad trucks used oil-soaked rags or cotton (collectively called "packing") to hold the oil for the bearing. Grease is like the rags. It releases the oil to lubricate the item that needs lubrication.

Reference: https://www.exxonmobil.com/en/aviation/ ... seperation

Front wheel bearings on automobiles are supposed to be cleaned and re-greased every 30,000 miles. Back when the seals were felt, I often found that after 30,000 miles, the grease was not as oil-wet as fresh grease. 30,000 miles is still the rule, but I had a Ford F150 with neoprene seals on the front hubs that I drove for 270,000 miles. I took the wheel hubs off the truck every 10 oil changes. The grease looked like new for the entire 270,000 miles, so I just put the hubs back on without cleaning or repacking them.

[healey36]

A photo for the weekend...Flyer motor #3015 with a short string of passenger cars in tow (Flyer #3140/3141/3142):



Having passed a slow Lionel freight, it's seen headed south, clearing Bridge #305 to approach Heat Pump Pass.

[webenda]

Another great photo, Healey.
I think the photo's highlight is the iconic headlight.
I don't know why, but those full lightbulb headlights
catch my attention and make me smile.

[RBH29]

Just how many scale-size railroad men would it take to change that light bulb?

[healey36]

yup, those early loco headlamps can be a bit out-of-scale, shall we say. Flyer made a number of locomotives during the early years that featured embedded headlights; my grandfather's #1096 from 1927 is another good example:



In an O-gauge world, you'd likely require a crew of ten and a hoist to replace the bulb. Then again, Lionel steam had some similar issues:



Miniaturization of incandescent bulbs was still a ways off, I suppose.

I've been playing around with LED replacements without much luck; I find the colors just too bright and "cool".