23.01.2021: Homework and other odds and ends
Due to the current Corona situation and the associated restrictions, work is also progressing slowly at the museum. But at least it is progressing. So today we can report on the progress of the refurbishment of the Breuer tractor. Some time ago, the vehicle was unhitched and jacked up in the workshop. Finally, one of the two axles could be removed to inspect the axle boxes and the running surfaces on the axle.
Fortunately, it turned out that the plain bearings of the axles were still in good condition. What is a plain bearing? In a plain bearing, the axle shaft rotates ("slides") on a wafer-thin film of oil in the so-called bearing shell. This is a semicircular recess in the vehicle frame.
However, the lubrication pads, which are attached to the underside of the axle, need to be replaced. The lubrication pad consists of cotton threads that draw lubricating oil from a reservoir and deliver it to the axle shaft above. The way it works is similar to that of candle wicks. It ensures that the axle is always coated with sufficient oil during travel so that the aforementioned oil film can form between the axle and the bearing shell.
We also uncoupled the tender of loco 50 3682, which will soon run again with loco 50 3570. But before that some work on the brake is necessary.
A bit of home work is always a nice thing to do, especially these days: One of our locksmiths used old photos to rebuild the window frame that used to be above the entrance door to the water tower. Unfortunately, the original window was lost after the railway depot was closed down and the window cavity has since been closed with a chipboard. We look forward to the water tower regaining another piece of its original face when the window frame is re-glazed in the near future.
vehicles:
50 3570-4,
50 3682-7,
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