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How often should I oil my model locomotives?

If you don't oil your locomotives often enough, gradual wear and tear will eventually turn into quite significant wear and tear, your locomotives will start to run badly and parts could wear out prematurely. However, if you oil your locomotives too much or too often, the results could be even worse!

Leaving aside the fact that the above statement does nothing to answer the original question, you must understand the effects that both under oiling and over oiling have on a locomotive if you are to gauge when to treat your models to a little oil. If you oil too regularly, surplus oil could find its way into the motor or attract dust to form a mechanism-clogging substance, however, starving your models of oil will produce friction and wear. So where does the balance lie?
Most manufacturers will recommend that lubrication is applied at either 6-monthly intervals or after 100 hours of running, whichever comes first. But they also use language like 'may require lubrication' and 'approximately 6 months' so those parameters should be used as a cue to check if your locomotives require lubrication as opposed to a servicing schedule.
Upon your 6-monthly or 100 hours cue, you should check if the cogs/worm screws inside your locomotive are dry. If they still appear nicely lubricated from the factory or last service, then don't feel you should add more. Likewise, if your wheel axles are running freely and quietly, then don't feel compelled to lubricate further, you can always check again in a month or so for reassurance.
Generally, you will be able to tell if a locomotive requires lubrication as it will start to squeak, the mechanism may become louder or make a grinding sound and axles will offer up more resistance when given a gentle wiggle from side to side. Assuming that you have checked it's not dirt causing the problem, any of those symptoms are a good indicator that lubrication is required.
One area that should not be taken to mean a locomotive requires oiling, is when it fails to start, stop or run smoothly. That particular symptom is more likely a result of a bad or dirty electrical connection that could be originating from the track, wheels or the motor, so further investigation will be required. Oiling will not solve those types of problems and in many cases will make them worse, so be very careful not to reach for the oil can as a solution to every defect that comes your way.



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