I've got another question about working on our 45-tonner. I've been reading the lubrication schedule, and have been noting things that I'm sure have not been attended to in a while.

Two of the things I know need to be lubed are the truck center plates. The manual recommends journal oil for this purpose--and I know this sounds pathetic--but we don't have any journal oil on hand right now. Would it work to use another kind of oil for thi purpose? If so, what type?

Also, where would I go to convert the AAR and GE specification numbers in the maintenance manual to common oil types or product numbers?

Thanks, TSS

tsschult@usd.edu

> Two of the things I know need to be lubed
> are the truck center plates. The manual
> recommends journal oil for this purpose--and
> I know this sounds pathetic--but we don't
> have any journal oil on hand right now.
> Would it work to use another kind of oil for
> thi purpose? If so, what type?

Todd,

At the Orange Empire Railway Museum, we use a mixture of Journal Oil and Open Face Gear Grease (Old Crater B) in a 50/50 mixture for lubing the center plates on the equipment. The Los Angeles Railway used this for years with great success.

Journal Oils - Manufacturer Product No. & Name

CHEVRON
CPS No. 233803
Journal Bearing Oil

TEXACO
Product Code 674
JOURNALTEX HD-57

UNOCAL
Product Code 04907
AAR-963 Oil
NOTE: UNOCAL product only made in large lots by special order)

VALVOLINE
M-963-84
All Year Car Oil

Open Face Gear Grease (Old Crater B)

EXXON
Product Code 45608
SURETT GRADE 80K

MOBIL
Product Code 6116-0
MOBILTAC 325NC

SHELL
Product Code 65115
MALLEUS Compound

TEXACO
Product Code 1956
TEXCLAD-2


BobC19024@aol.com

If your loco has the center plate filler pipes, you should use oil only. Anything thicker would tend to clog the filler pipes. Journal oil (car oil) is similar in viscosity to SAE 30 motor oil. In a pinch, that would work. If you are operating railroad equipment, you really should have some journal oil on hand.

If a locomotive is jacked off its center plates, a mixture of 1 gallon of journal oil to 1 pound of powdered graphite can be made, and poured into the female center casting-- about 1/2 the mixture for large road diesels, and about 1/4 for smaller locos like the 45-tonner.

hpincus@mindspring.com

If it isn't a ball bearing centerplate, you can use Texaco centerplate cookies, which are a black pastic "cookies" made from a moly based lubricant.