Erie RR Car inspector's Oilcan
Name/Title
Erie RR Car inspector's OilcanEntry/Object ID
chs-014026Description
Erie Railroad Tall Spout Oil Can Nominal one gallon capacity with screw on cap. Soldered and brazed galvanized steel sheet construction. Erie RR logo embossed on left side of can body.Use
Car inspector's oilcan. Before axle roller bearings became common (now they are mandatory), each friction axle end bearing was enclosed in a journal box. Each box had a 'well' below the bearing that was packed with cotton waste; this had to be kept saturated with oil. The oil was picked up by the axle end as it rotated and lubricated the bearing. If the journal box ran dry, friction would cause the bearing to overheat. An overheated bearing was called a hotbox, and if left unresolved could generate enough heat to actually melt the steel end of the axle. At best a simple derailment resulted; at worst, a major accident. At terminals, a car inspector would walk the length of a train (both sides) and open each journal box lid to check the oil level. If needed, oil would be added from a can like this. He'd have a hooked rod in one hand to open the lids, and a can like this in the other; the angled spout end made it easier to use, since he would be walking alongside the cars. Dating is problematic. The embossed ERIE diamond dates it to pre-1961 (when the Erie and the Delaware Lackawanna & Western merged to form the Erie-Lackawanna), but this type of tinware had been in use since the 19th century. My best guess would be anywhere from the twenties to the fifties- but, it's only a guess. Hope this helps, at least a little... Marty FeldnerCategory
Erie, Erie-Lackawana, Conrail