Didn't this issue pop up last year?

Yes, and that is why three out of the four drive axles where up-graded to high pressure feed oil lubrication, same as SP 4449. Since the number two drive axle was the only one that had no "issues" previously, it was not up-graded at that time.

It is impossible to obtain the famous Texaco Hy-Tex 8, heavy block grease, and the block grease that is available today is fine for lubrication rod bearings (pin grease, or 'pin dope'), but doesn't seem to be providing acceptable lubrication at higher track speeds for drive axle bearings. Pretty much the same thing has been happening to the CP Hudson "Empress" #2816, a year or so ago (she has been out of service for more than a year while getting a new axle made). 

Southern 630 to make ferry move today

ROANOKE, Va. – Crews from the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum have made repairs to Southern Railway 2-8-0 No. 630, and plan to move the locomotive from Roanoke to Bristol, Va. today. Tomorrow No. 630 will run from Bristol to Knoxville, Tenn., to put it in position to pull employee trips for Norfolk Southern on July 14-15 out of Knoxville’s West End Sevier Yard.

On July 1, bearings overheated on No. 630 while pulling a trip for NS employees over the former Norfolk & Western main line from Roanoke to Walton, Va. Diesels returned the train to Roanoke, while the steam engine returned to the city at reduced speed. In Roanoke museum crews have been making repairs to the engine, hoping to return it to service as quickly as possible.

With No. 630 out of service, Savannah & Atlanta Heritage SD70ACe No. 1065 pinch-hit for the Consolidation, pulling a one-way trip from Roanoke to Bristol on July 7, and from Bristol to Knoxville on July 8.

Even with No. 630 back in service, the museum’s planned one-way public trip from Knoxville to Chattanooga, Tenn., on July 16 remains cancelled.

Texaco Hy-Tex 8...

Someone should have the formula for this stuff and make some.

Believe me, it has been tried! Naturally Texaco will have no part of re-producing it since there isn't a large enough market for it. Block grease is still available from only ONE Manufacturer, but it doesn't perform well in steam locomotive driver axle that have plain bearings. The current stuff does work OK for pin grease.

What with all the current environmental issues, the original Hy-Tex-8 apparently can no longer be manufactured. We are stuck with what we currently have, thus the 630 was converted to babbitted crown bearings and high pressure feed OIL lubrication. The 4501 will also be converted to the same oil lubrication system. Everybody knows that system works, since all the Southern Pacific GS-4 Daylights where built that way, and SP 4449 still works that way today.

Back in the late 80's we tried to order some Hy-Tex 8 directly from Texaco for the 765. Even though we committed to purchase the whole batch, Texaco refused to make it. However, when we explained what we wanted it for, they agreed to give us the formula for it.

We found a local company that agreed to make a batch. A few years later when we needed more, we reordered another batch from the local company. They refused to make it. When we asked why, the owner of the company told us that the formula was a real witches brew and at several points in the process it was VERY volatile. He was not willing to risk blowing up his shop for a relatively small order. And that was the end of Texaco Hy-Tex 8.

I'm not sure what we use on the rods on 765 today. It looks similar to the old Hy-Tex 8 and it works fine on the rods. The 765's drivers run in roller bearings so we don't have the same lubrication issues there as a plain bearing engine.

The early portion of today's continuance by 630 from Roanoke to Bristol.

Includes earlier scenes from the Roanoke trips, sort of a best of my best. Considering it was all shot with a Kodak Pocket Video Camera & a Sony Point & Shoot Camera I think this fairly well summarizes the Roanoke portion of 630's journey using equipment valued at less than $500 combined.

This video (5:17) shows two clips crossing the Roanoke River near Wabun & Singer; Montgomery Tunnel, the New River Crossing in Radford, and closes with the climb up Christiansburg Mountain Grade on June 30th.

Actually, too, there is no more "real" Texaco.  Cheveron has the name, but i think that is about it.

What's about the grease which makes it so unstable in its making?

Southern 630 rolls on

Published: July 13, 2012

Photo by Ron Flanary

BRISTOL, Va. – The Tennessee Railroad Museum's former Southern Railway No. 630 began its journey home after problems pulling a Norfolk Southern employee excursion earlier in the month.

The train left Roanoke, Va. about 11:00 a.m. Thursday for the two-day trip back to Knoxville, Tenn. A brief service stop was made at Pulaski, Va.

Museum and NS staff "did a remarkable job" getting the engine back on the road, remarked railroad author, historian, and frequent Trains contributor Ron Flanary. "These have merely been teething issues," Flanary continued, the engine has "never looked or ran better than she did today."

The train laid over at Bristol before continuing on to Knoxville on Friday.

It's good to hear she is up and running.

One thing I noticed in the various run-bys in the video, posted above, they are NOT working very much throttle on the 630. It sure appears, and sounds, like the diesels are doing all the work, especially on the Christenburg Grade. The side rods do NOT like being "pushed", and the crank pins will run at elevated temperatures.

I guess they are really trying to take it easy with her for a few days.