Dale G Kraus, Photos by Author

Host Gene Swanson welcomed a full house Thursday night to hear Al Babinsky explain maintenance and lubrication procedures used by The Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers (PSMRE) to maintain the four trains that run on the eight scale mile “auto loop” at the Washington State History Museum.

The two problems encountered at the PSMRE are gunk on the rolling stock wheels and wear in the locomotives. The “gunk” is a muddy substance caused by the mixing of airborne dust with the automatic transmission fluid used to improve wheel-to-rail electrical continuity. It can be removed mechanically from car wheels and from loco wheels using alcohol on a paper towel, cleaning one truck at a time while the wheels are turning.

Wear in locomotive drive trains is caused by lack of lubrication and foreign materials, mostly carpet fuzz, getting into the loco bearings.

The modeler showcase included:

 

Sn3 20 foot containers by Paul Vaughn

HO scale GP9 and three cabooses by Chris Clancy

HO scale machine shop with welders working inside by Ken Levine

A superdetailed Varney dockside 0-4-0T by Greg Price

HO and N scale log bunk trains and a wedge snowplow by Chip Van Gilder

HO scale curved trestle by Scott Taylor. This was the model of the month.

The next clinic will be at 7 PM, Thursday, February 9 at the Pierce County Library administration building. Click here to view additional details, including a map.