Do Rolling Stock Trucks w Fast Angle wheels and Needle Point Axles need to be Lubricated?

I have seen old modern era cars with holes worn through to the outside of the truck by the tip of the needlepoint axle.

I think your pretty much correct, just don't forget a lot of metal trucks have Delrin bearings in them, those I do not lube either. I use Ford synthetic motor oil.

No.

Acetal plastic is the polymer version of brass.  Great bearing material.

Actually the microscopic surface irregularities of the needle point shape the plastic bearing surface.  Hence it is unnecessary to lubricate it; it will ultimately fail as CW describes above.  Note that due to its slickness, acetal plastic is unpaintable.

Lou N

Like Lou N says.........NO!!!

imo, grease is for gears and not for train axles.  all grease will do is gum up the area.

I always lube the ends of axles with a drop or two of plastic compatible oil. Been doing it for 40 years with  no problems. Do it once a year when I'm lubing the gears. 

Dave

Well I've been putting a drop of a teflon based oil on the needle point area about once every 5 years.  So far it has not damaged anything that I can tell.  The cars do roll slightly better. 

Actually, despite comments to the contrary, the acetal plastic side frames can be painted pretty successfully. I rinse them with Acetone to get rid of any fingerprints and oil, then spray them with Krylon ultra-flat black "camouflage" paint for the base coat, and then brush on finely powered rust/dirt pigments. The end result looks good, and I have not had problems with the paint coming off in normal use. I give wheel sets (2-rail Intermountain) and couplers the same basic treatment.

If the truck frames are plastic, no.  Metal, yes!

I put a little drop of plastic-compatible (non petroleum-based) oil on all my needle-point axles.  I see a small but noticeable improvement in their ease of rolling.  One tiny little drop of oil does the trick.  Any more than that, and it will be dripping on the track and making a mess.

Paul.