I came across a very interesting article that addresses the care and conservation of machinery artifacts. It was written by Murray Frost, of the Canadian Conservation Institute. If I am not mistaken, Frost may well be the only professionally trained conservator in North America to work with functional metal based artifacts, namely steam locomotives. The article was presented by the author at the Association of Manitoba Museums Annual Seminar in the fall of 1979, and was published in Dawson and Hind (Conservation Issue) V.9 n.2-3 (1981), pp.21-30, and in Saskatchewan Museums Quarterly v.7 n.3 (1981-82). It can be obtained via interlibrary loan at your local public or university library. Yet another useful reference item for railway museums who take care of old metal stuff.

http://rrmuseumpa.org