Re: Behind the Scenes - "Shooting the Pins"
| December 11, 2009 12:25AM |
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Alemite is a VERY heavy grease - about the consistency of ice-cold butter - that is used
on the side-rod bearings of most locomotives. The Alemite gun has a back-and-forth air-
powered piston, fed from a hose attached to the locomotive's air tank and controlled by a
manually-operated valve. An extension of the piston rod forces grease into the bearings
after the head of the gun has been attached to the one of the special fittings on the top of
each rod. The sticks of grease are fed into the gun by hand, one at a time; the assistant
doing this has to be very careful to not put a finger into the feed hole ...
It can be done by one man, but is a lot easier if one of the crew operates the gun and the other feeds the sticks of grease.
IIRC, on some older locomotives, instead of a fitting for the grease gun there is a tall "cup" into which the grease is pushed, and then a cap is screwed down a long length of threads to force the grease into the bearings. This cap is given a few turns each time the engine stops to force in a bit of fresh grease. Also, IIRC, roller-bearing side rods use(d) a somewhat lighter lubricant.
*****
Are there any locos running these days with roller-bearing side rods, or was the N&W #611 the last one to operate? I have 'shot the pins' on #4449 and #8444; the latter, #3985 and #3751 have roller-bearing axles but not side rods. What about the SP&S #700 or any of the midwestern or eastern engines??
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2009 12:51AM by Russo Loco.
on the side-rod bearings of most locomotives. The Alemite gun has a back-and-forth air-
powered piston, fed from a hose attached to the locomotive's air tank and controlled by a
manually-operated valve. An extension of the piston rod forces grease into the bearings
after the head of the gun has been attached to the one of the special fittings on the top of
each rod. The sticks of grease are fed into the gun by hand, one at a time; the assistant
doing this has to be very careful to not put a finger into the feed hole ...
It can be done by one man, but is a lot easier if one of the crew operates the gun and the other feeds the sticks of grease.
IIRC, on some older locomotives, instead of a fitting for the grease gun there is a tall "cup" into which the grease is pushed, and then a cap is screwed down a long length of threads to force the grease into the bearings. This cap is given a few turns each time the engine stops to force in a bit of fresh grease. Also, IIRC, roller-bearing side rods use(d) a somewhat lighter lubricant.
*****
Are there any locos running these days with roller-bearing side rods, or was the N&W #611 the last one to operate? I have 'shot the pins' on #4449 and #8444; the latter, #3985 and #3751 have roller-bearing axles but not side rods. What about the SP&S #700 or any of the midwestern or eastern engines??
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2009 12:51AM by Russo Loco.
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.