We hear a lot about lubricating our models to keep them operating in top condition, but we seldom get suggestions on what to use, or how much. Here are a couple of fine products, which should do for most cases.

For light oiling jobs, like truck pivots, loco side rod mechanisms, etc. use Labelle 108. It's a lightweight oil and is completely safe for plastic. Some plastics when exposed to "exotic" type oils will soften and warp with time, becoming useless. I use the 108 for all oiling jobs, even non-plastic, to eliminate possible problems.

Another good use for the Labelle 108 is a track cleaner. This is suggested on the card in the small print. A few drops on the rails around the layout will restore contact even on very dirty track, and a wipe with a rag will make them shine. It also cleans wheels as you run, without causing any loss of traction.

Another Labelle product, which works well, is Labelle 102 gear oil. It is also safe for plastics, and stays on the surface of gears and shafts without running off. It is a heavy mineral oil, intended for gearboxes and larger bearings.

When adding lubricant to any mechanism, use only enough to lightly coat the moving parts. Too much oil can cause more problems than none at all. It can run out, create a mess, and pick up dirt and residue, which gets into the mechanism causing more problems.

Finally, don't count on lubrication alone to free up a binding mechanism. Find and correct the problem, then add lube as a final step.

Rusty Spike Vol 30 #4 Sept-Oct 2000

Q) I was looking at an old photo of the Pratt St. line in Baltimore, MD. This is the line, I believe, that was served by the dockside switcher, prototype of the famous Varney 'Little Joe'. In the photo there is a spur entering a building that curves from the line in the center of the street. I estimate that the curve is about 35' radius. Can you tell me about what minimum radius a prototype train of 40' freight cars, coupled together and pulled by an appropriate loco, can negotiate (at a walk, of course)?

A) According to RP-11, I have to suggest that what you saw must surely have been deceptive. A prototype radius of 35 feet would be a 5 inch radius in HO and would only be suitable for street cars using radial couplers or towbars.

A 40 foot boxcar with radial couplers could make a 100 degree/65 foot prototype radius - 9 inch radius in HO. This is street car and interurban operation. It would also be best if the cars had the rounded end that was typical of interurban operations in tight areas. They could actually approach 35 foot radius with their 27/28 foot and 36 foot cars and flats without a great deal of difficulty. The rounded end cars really added a lot of flexibility.

A 40 foot boxcar with standard couplers and a 0-4-0 steamer or 4 wheel diesel could make a 60 degree/100 foot radius - 11 inch radius in HO. This would generally fit into the docksider situation especially if they were to use a special pusher car or flat that would allow for a tighter radius. The smaller the car and the more narrow the car, the more likely they could make those sharp turns. This is not to say that the turns can't be sharper than this, it is more a matter of reliable operation.

As to tight turn situations, Atlas used to make a 15 inch radius curve section that was well suited to small 4 wheel steam and diesel operations with cars of 40 foot or less. It was great for 'old time' and interurban layouts.

By the way, the RP-11, "Curvature and Rolling Stock" is available on the Standards and Recommended Practices pages of the NMRA web site at: http://www.nmra.org/standards.

Rusty Spike Vol 26 #5 Nov-Dec 1976