Steam & Excursion > Attention Steam Operators: Solidstick Flange Lubricator

I think that both Class I and tourist line steam operators might be pleasantly surprised (and save much needed $$$ in driver tire wear) if they were to apply solidstick flange lubricators to the lead and rear drivers. I'm not a flange lubricator salesman...just a Class I hoghead who is a steam buff.

I have seen advertisements for this in Railway Age. BNSF is the main user of this (other RR's use an oil tank which squirts oil on the flanges in curves). Last night, I had a CSX SD50 (still in Conrail blue) trailing my SD70M which had these applied, and I had an opportunity to closely check the devices out. They are hardly noticeable, so should not detract from the appearance of any steamer so equipped. Since they do not put grease on the wheel tread, but flange only, this will not affect adhesion in any way. This might particularly help larger engines, such as 3985, 844, NKP765, SP&S 700, to name a few.

Tests have shown a 40% reduction on wheel reprofiling on diesel locomotives so equipped. That's a lot of bucks for a historical society-type operator on a limited budget. It also contributes greatly to rail life in curves, so if the locomotive is on a captive run, there's another dollar savings for operations on limited budgets (God knows there's plenty of money to spend on the upkeep of these wonderful machines...I'd say a 40% reduction in tire wear would be greatly beneficial for large steamer operators). Would also possibly minimize derailment hazards in tight curves, in yards and such.

What do you folks think?

Red Wrote:
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> I thin that both Class I and tourist line steam
> operators might be pleasantly surprised (and save
> much needed $$$ in driver tire wear) if they were
> to apply solidstick flange lubricators to the lead
> and rear drivers. I'm not a flange lubricator
> salesman...just a Class I hoghead who is a steam
> buff.
>
> I have seen advertisements for this in Railway
> Age. BNSF is the main user of this (other RR's
> use an oil tank which squirts oil on the flanges
> in curves). Last night, I had a CSX SD50 (still
> in Conrail blue) trailing my SD70M which had these
> applied, and I had an opportunity to closely check
> the devices out. They are hardly noticeable, so
> should not detract from the appearance of any
> steamer so equipped. Since they do not put grease
> on the wheel tread, but flange only, this will not
> affect adhesion in any way. This might
> particularly help larger engines, such as 3985,
> 844, NKP765, SP&S 700, to name a few.
>
> Tests have shown a 40% reduction on wheel
> reprofiling on diesel locomotives so equipped.
> That's a lot of bucks for a historical
> society-type operator on a limited budget. It
> also contributes greatly to rail life in curves,
> so if the locomotive is on a captive run, there's
> another dollar savings for operations on limited
> budgets (God knows there's plenty of money to
> spend on the upkeep of these wonderful
> machines...I'd say a 40% reduction in tire wear
> would be greatly beneficial for large steamer
> operators). Would also possibly minimize
> derailment hazards in tight curves, in yards and
> such.
>
> What do you folks think?


On the Quincy Railroad Company #2, a 2-6-2T @ the Niles Canyon Railway, we just use oil to lubricate the flanges of the first and rear drivers, and it works pretty well. Not a bad idea though, just have to worry about the lateral motion with friction bearings and it not staying with the wheel.

---

Somebody needs to tell the Durango and Silverton. They said in a roundhouse tour, that flanges on the engines last only 12,000 miles due to the curves. Cumbress and Tolec last year re-installed flange oilers that had been taken off the engines by prior lessors.

Steam2K:

Interesting that this is done with the spray type flange lubricators on the Niles Canyon. I understand that the grease devices are even more effective...they coat the flange longer, and even help out the rolling stock behind, there is enough of a film put out by these grease sticks. It is a very hard composite type of grease, with quite a bit of Teflon in it. In other words, when I touched the plug with my finger, it didn't even get my finger dirty. Another interesting tidbit...that Conrail unit appeared to have higher-time wheels than the UP unit I was running, and yet, the flange profile was much smoother and "cleaner". This is where fuel savings come in in Class I heavyhaul freight service. Of course, our goal with steam is to lower operating costs, and increase the longevity of the expensive components. I don't see lateral motion as being a hindrance. This grease stick, seemed to be about 12 to 14 inches long, which appeared to be a fresh stick. It is kept in contact with the flange by a tensioner. Appeared to be a very durable housing. Nice part is, when you run out of grease stick, you simply run out of grease stick...nothing touching anything until you insert a new grease plug.

I fabricated my own & installed it on the front wheels of my Fairmont motorcar years ago & could see where it markedly cut down on flange wear. This was a good issue to bring up on this forum.

Is the stick grease in these flange lubricators the same as the stick grease used for the rod bearings on steam locomotives?

I am interested. My longest section of straight track is less than 3 miles long. We just rewheeled our Alco. We have two automatic trackside flange greasers in 180 miles of track. Anyone have some links to a site where I might find such lubricators?

pb1

Regarding the question as to what type of grease is used...if it's the same used in rod bearings...not sure. I think it's a more modern formulation, with a lot of teflon and polymer in it in addition to a hard grease. Could be the same, or similar, but probably not? As I metioned, the rather long, solid grease stick was very hard, and you could hardly dirty your finger by touching it, or even rubbing it...just a little bit of a black smudge, which was brownish with little sparkles in it.

The devices are made by MPL Technolgy, Inc.

Website: info@mpltechnolgy.com

Their motto, which seems fitting: "Sometimes the simplest solution is best."

Thanks, Red. You gave the email address, but I was able to figure out their URL (www.mpltechnology.com). I dropped them a line to see how much it would take to outfit my RSD15. In another year, our Alco steam engine (SP 786) will be back together, and I will see about using the Solidstick on that.

pb1

These sticks are hard, almost like grey plastic. You can just barely carve into it with a pocket knife. You don't see any greasy, sandy, dirty residue clinging all over everything, and you don't get the wheel slip from oil contaminated tread & rail like you can get with grease or oil systems. They look like they're mostly graphite, kinda like pencil lead mixed with a real hard wax or plastic.

ddg Wrote:
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> These sticks are hard, almost like grey plastic.
> You can just barely carve into it with a pocket
> knife. You don't see any greasy, sandy, dirty
> residue clinging all over everything, and you
> don't get the wheel slip from oil contaminated
> tread & rail like you can get with grease or
> oil systems. They look like they're mostly
> graphite, kinda like pencil lead mixed with a real
> hard wax or plastic.


Sounds like just the thing we need for our two Alcos (442, RSD15, and 786, Mikado Mk5). We ran 442 today, its first trip after rewheeling and replacing a cylinder liner. It seemed to do just fine on its shakedown run with 8 coaches and 400 passengers.

pb1

Since this thread is 13 years ago now, are there any updates?
Anyone use this and what was the outcome? Ya or Nay?

It's a hard, waxy, plastic like stuff with what looks like graphite. It's hard, and leaves no residue, just held against the flange but light spring tension. I used to see the stubs of used sticks laying around, and picked them up to carve stuff with my pocket knife.

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