Oiling of rolling stock creates INK on both outside rails. Why ?

Did the oil wet the wheels? I have used about 30 wt synthetic oil, just a micro drop, on the axles with no issues.

Reasons could be wrong oil, too much, ,etc.

keyrouteken posted:

Hi Everybody--

Now I have to thoroughly clean the inside loop mainline on my new layout because yesterday I assembled a nine-car freight and decided to "lightly" oil each axle with light-weight sewing machine oil.  When I looked at the track this morning, both outside rails were solid black like INK..  Now I have a big mess to clean up.  Wish I had left them alone.

Any theories as to what I did wrong ?

Ken Shattock  (KRK)

 

 

Did freight engine(s) used last night have rubber traction tires? If so, possibly too much oil on axles  either coated rails and then got onto wheels with traction tires or else got directly deposited on traction tires wheels causing that black deposit from the traction tire's "oiled" rubber to be transferred onto the track. Wipe both nontraction tire wheels and wheels traction tire wheels with a q tip and look for deposits on q tip. If black residue is from oil on rubber traction tire then the nontraction tires wheels will eventually be clean after repeated rubbing while the wheels with the traction tires will leave a darkened q tip after the same amount of rubbing. 

What kind of track are you using?  Some brands are much more prone to this than others.

Bob posted:

What kind of track are you using?  Some brands are much more prone to this than others.

Old fashioned tinplate Tubular track.   031, 054, 072.....

KRK

Use heavier weight oil and it will not migrate as far. I use Labelle gear oil.