Western Railroad Discussion > What Is it?

I was on Amtrak No.14 on Monday when I notice these devices on and next to the tracks about every mile or two. I first noticed them north of Santa Barbara. Can anyone tell me their purpose?

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Flange lubrication

Flange greaser

How does it work?

As the wheel passes over, it presses a trigger that squirts a dab of grease in preperation for the upcoming curve. They're typically seen on relatively tight curves that are not super-elevated.

Are these things powered (by electricity) or is it a manual operation where pressing the button squeezes out the lube?

coaststarlight99 Wrote:
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> Are these things powered (by electricity) or is it
> a manual operation where pressing the button
> squeezes out the lube?

The plunger is on the right rail before the blades. The wheel presses it down and in turn creates pressure on an internal pump that forces lube out holes in the blades.

The gentlemen are correct about this being a flange oiler. It is operated mechanically as the train wheels pass the contact points. Depending on the locations you may see a solar panel or a power line to it wheich operates a heater within the conatiner to keep the oil viscous. The pad on the rail helps contain the oil that drips so it doesn't soak into the ground.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

ace3101 Wrote:
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> As the wheel passes over, it presses a trigger
> that squirts a dab of grease in preperation for
> the upcoming curve. They're typically seen on
> relatively tight curves that are not
> super-elevated.


they are pretty much installed on all curves to cut down on rail wear and extend the life of the rail ... especially on the high side ... it's activated by every wheel hub that hits the plunger activator ... the grease delivery system is regulated(manually when installed) to spread just enough product through the entire curve carried by the wheels of the train ... there would also be one installed in the opposite direction at the other end of the curve ... the grease is a biodegradable product that doesn't negatively impact the environment



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/12 09:33 by Out_Of_Service.

Here is are 2 solar powered greasers on the BNSF Stockton sub in Fresno.

David Locher
Fresno, CA
http://www.youtube.com/learnwithgern

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If you ever look at the ends of freight cars, especially hopper car slope sheets you will notice on most two stripes of spattered grease, this is from the flanges after passing over the greasers. Being a carman its a pain sometimes trying to use a torch or weld on parts that have many years of built up grease, also under locomotives.

This is a bi-directional flange and curve wear lubricator.
Common parlance in RR jargon called a "Mecco".

Modern lubrication applicators are electric, with fewer moving parts that get impacts from wheels and the ability to adjust the amount of flow based on local experience and weather.
In addition to these flange lubricators, there are now Top Of Rail (TOR) friction modifier applicators, sometimes about 50 feet from the flange lubricator. TOR does not want to be slippery like the gauge corner but the goal is to slightly reduce the friction by applying a film of graphite-like material to reduce the "stick-slip" effect of the wheels on very heavy cars. You can hear the "slip-stick" effect as a groaning or ratcheting sound as cars pass on curves. If uncontrolled this effect has two bad results: first, the metal in the rail experiences plastic flow and rolling contact fatigue cracks and second, the TOR friction tries to steer the wheels very hard to the outside of the curve and can cause rail roll-over and gauge widening. Both of these effects were discovered with the "heavy haul" revolution as with the Powder River Basin coal, low rail rollover has caused derailments and RCF has caused premature failure of rail and rail fractures.
Modern TOR and flange lubrication products are formulated to be as benign as possible to the environment, frequently being vegetable oil based. Some of the products come out looking translucent white, but soon become dirty dark gray from the dirt, brake shoe dust, metal powder, and sand in the RR environment.
"Mecco" was a brand name of the older mechanical lubricators. On the MofW department a good "Mecco Man" who would and could take care of these devices, was a valuable member of the Roadmaster's team. It isn't a good job for a neatness freak.

That rubber mat is the same as what is in use on the loco stubs on the CORP in Medford. It is definitely meant to minimize roadbed and ground contamination. It appears to be identical to the material used to cover a flat roof.

The flange lubricators are still in use on the Siskiyou Line, which has a large number of tight curves. I'll need to check to see if these are matted now as well.

Posted from Android

Fred Harrison
Central Point, OR
CORPpower/JSS/EORS

It looks like a heck of a place to put a railroad! On top of shifting piles of sand.

P Wrote:
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> It looks like a heck of a place to put a railroad!
> On top of shifting piles of sand.

Add to that an environment (ocean air) that just loves metal corrision and you got the Coast Line in a nutshell...why did Southern Pacific/Union Pacific reroute most freight off this line again?

BNSF6400 Wrote:
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> P Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It looks like a heck of a place to put a
> railroad!
> > On top of shifting piles of sand.
>
> Add to that an environment (ocean air) that just
> loves metal corrision and you got the Coast Line
> in a nutshell...why did Southern Pacific/Union
> Pacific reroute most freight off this line again?

Because the amount of freight traffic between LA and the Bay Area has fallen way off.
The valley route is much more efficent for traffic going to the Pacific Northwest.

Here's an older style of flange lubricator on the ex-SP near Verdi, NV, where wheels pressing down on the actuator turned a "drive shaft" that worked the grease pump.

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It's a rubber mat with two hoses and a big metal box .

kingman Wrote:
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> It's a rubber mat with two hoses and a big metal
> box .

When you plow one of these "Racor" lubricators with a spreader during snow removal it sure does color the snow black.