Postwar locomotive maintenance - original lubrication, congealed grease.

Same goes for many brass and other HO scale trains from that time period.  Greases and oils have come a long ways since then.  Most oils from that era dry up and leave a hard varnish on the shaft that causes motors/axles to be stiff till the model is run for awhile with fresh oil added.  Or you have to pull wheels and completely disassemble the model to repolish the axles to remove that varnish.  The old grease turns to paste or rock hard, jamming or binding up gear boxes.  ALL vintage trains I buy get a trip thru my backshop for a complete cleaning, fresh grease and oil were needed, new wiring in prewar models that have non vulcanized rubber insulation that is usually gone(brittle) or flaking away.  Just par for the coarse on models approaching 100 years old.  The work to bring these old trains from something that is ready for the trash can, to a running model is the part of the hobby I enjoy the most.  To the point that for many years I did repair work for a local shop here in Indiana, then one in Erie PA after I moved out there for a few years.  Made a little extra $$ to spend on trains and had lots of fun fixing them up for others to enjoy once again.      Cheers  Mike the Aspie

I've got too many postwar locos. Love 'em all, so easily cleaned, lubed and maintained. The few modern engines I've got see limited time as I'm afraid of having to try to fix/repair/upgrade the modern electronics that many others prefer. One has to have special knowledge and more than a few spare bucks to fix those ones.

To me, the imagination is a far-underestimated source of joy when it comes to trains. When everything is a dead-ringer match for reality, for me, the thrill is no bigger than imaginative layouts. No matter what train shows I can catch, just watching the trains go round and round is a pleasure and the movement itself, the colorful hues of the cars, locos, etc. - all of that is a joy, regardless of whether the trains are ultra-expensive and loaded, modern or simply some of the early postwar trains. It's my imagination that kicks my joy response into action.

Taking an older loco apart, getting all that gunked up grease, oil and collected dirt out of the gears, motors, etc. and re-greasing and oiling with today's superior products is almost like meditation. The hands-on stuff is hard to beat when it comes to feeling involved and immersed in the hobby. It takes me out of my head and frees up my inner mechanic. I've gotten many sidelined locomotives back into running order and the satisfaction is real. Postwar is a good way to go- lots to learn, but it is attainable, not necessarily expensive and there are lots of great hobbyists who are glad to share their knowledge and techniques with newbies and older hobbyists alike. 

I think VGN 65 is right on about maintenance as meditation.  It gets me totally focused and I think about nothing else.

Love to get a loco with wheels that won't turn (also usually cheap) and run it through solvent bath, drench in very hot water, lubricate and have a nicely running engine - great sense of satisfaction follows.