Lubricating Turnouts: Pros/Cons/yes/no?

[Don Gibson]

Turnout's should not need oiling. as It attracts dirt.
If ballast or any contaminent's get into the working parts, It's the fault of the contaminator not the turnout maker. Best answer is to replace the turnout.

Areas to avoid: Where points touch rails & Rivets that conduct electricity

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jschuknecht

After running into a similar issue, I had to come up with a different method of ballasting my turnouts. Instead of my normal method (spreading ballast, wetting, then gluing), I take a mixing cup or something, put some ballast in, wet it down, add glue, and mix things up in the mixing cup. Then I use a toothpick to spread the ballast around the working areas of the turnout. This way, there is minimal ballast and glue getting into the points (and what does get in there is easier to remove), minimal glue/water seeping down into my switch machine and electrical points, and it doesn't take any longer than my normal methods when all is said and done.

---jps

Sounds like a good idea. [tup]

Too late for Fergie though. I'm afraid he's stuck, and company's coming.[swg]

[Anonymous]

After running into a similar issue, I had to come up with a different method of ballasting my turnouts. Instead of my normal method (spreading ballast, wetting, then gluing), I take a mixing cup or something, put some ballast in, wet it down, add glue, and mix things up in the mixing cup. Then I use a toothpick to spread the ballast around the working areas of the turnout. This way, there is minimal ballast and glue getting into the points (and what does get in there is easier to remove), minimal glue/water seeping down into my switch machine and electrical points, and it doesn't take any longer than my normal methods when all is said and done.

---jps

[Big_Boy_4005]

Nah Ferg, I think you are better off not introducing oil into the picture. Cleaning is the better answer. Tedious work to be sure. It takes a while to recover from ballasting.Sort of a healing process.[swg]

[orsonroy]

I add oil to my switches before I ballast, to keep the glues and stray ballast bits from clogging them up. Adding oil now that the deed is done probably can't hurt, but it's more important to get every last bit of gunk, ballast and glue out of the switch first, and that's a job best done dry.

[Fergmiester]

I was cleaning track today and and came across a seized tunout. This was a result of recent ballasting. I have freed it up, however it is still stiff and before I oil it I thought I'd ask the question should I oil or not oil?

Thanks
Fergie