| B&ML Road Master, Bob Gillam once told me that The MEC used to lube the rail joints so there would be plenty of give to alleviate stress. This graphic is taken from a 100 page track notebook covering MEC’s main line east of Orono in the 1940s & 1950s. In particular note the last two items, Joints and Lub Oil used... I’ve never seen this put in practice, even as I grew up on the Bucksport Branch in the 50s. Switches used to get a lot of attention but I don’t ever recall any oil applied to rail joints... /DL |