Perhaps an old topic - yet likely some new readers.
Having worked on the Palm Desert’s Living Desert Museum gigantic garden railway - 15 trains moving at once - the question was should we lube the axle journals knowing this is a desert with dusty winds, sun, and lots of dirt? Guests had commented on the “squeaking wheels” showing implicit reluctance to think highly of the train group’s management skills. That was a motivation to try lubing.
Bottom line: We started lubing the journals with a drop of Mobil One’s 15-30 grade motor oil – a synthetic that will not harm plastic.
Result: Silence from the rolling stock - not our entire work crew. Yet, no visitor complaints. Yet again, much volunteer discussion as to the damage that “will occur” to “no problem as we stopped a lot of wear.”
Evaluation: No evidence of dirt in the journals - yes, some slight amounts of dust 'n lube on the axle shaft outside the journal from natural expulsion from hundreds of hours of rolling. Appraisal made after several weeks 10 hour days of use.
The Living Desert’s outdoor RR exhibit is enormous and is a “walk into the exhibit” type of display.
