Utilization of Top of Rail Friction Modifiers to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions for the Freight Railroad Industry

Details

• Creators:
  Cotter, J ; Elvidge, D ; Liu, Y. ; Roberts, J
• Corporate Creators:
  Kelsan Technologies Corp ; National Research Council Centre for Surface Transportation Technology ; BC Rail
• Corporate Contributors:
  Canada. Transport Canada
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Freight Trains Friction Greenhouse Gases Rail (Railroads) Rail Lubrication Rolling Friction
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Right Statement:
  Public Domain
• Geographical Coverage:
  Canada ; British Columbia
• Edition:
  Final Report
• Corporate Publisher:
  Canada. Transport Canada
• Abstract:
  This final report documents a demonstration project evaluating Kelsan Technologies’ Top of Rail (TOR) friction modifier, KELTRACK®, as a strategy to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in freight railroad operations. A key distinction emphasized in the study is the difference between lubricants and friction modifiers: lubricants, such as oils or greases, reduce friction indiscriminately and may compromise traction or braking, while friction modifiers like KELTRACK® are engineered composites that maintain an optimal intermediate coefficient of friction across a range of wheel passes. This controlled friction improves energy efficiency without impairing safety performance. Ancillary benefits observed included improved truck steerability, reduced lateral forces under dynamic braking, and potential reductions in rail wear. Two BC Rail locomotives were equipped with prototype TOR dispensing systems and tested over twenty runs on the Chetwynd subdivision in British Columbia, with data collected on fuel consumption, mechanical drawbar forces, and GPS-based track conditions. Fuel consumption and mechanical drawbar forces were measured with and without TOR application, supported by GPS-based segment analysis. The analysis revealed a strong correlation between curve density and fuel savings, with reductions ranging from 155 to 744 liters per million ton-miles and corresponding CO₂ reductions between 0.3 and 2.0 metric tonnes per million ton-miles. Extrapolation to national freight traffic suggested annual reductions of 114.6 to 167.5 kilotonnes, or 2.1–3.0% of total emissions. Field trials confirmed system reliability in extreme winter conditions down to –30 °C, although equipment adjustments, such as redesigned solenoids, were required. The report concludes that TOR friction modifiers can enhance fuel efficiency and emissions performance, particularly on curvy track, and recommends further large-scale testing, equipment optimization, and operational guidelines for widespread deployment.
• Content Notes:
  Please cite as: Cotter, J., Elvidge, D., Liu, Y., & Roberts, J. (2004, April 8). Utilization of to-of-rail friction modifiers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the freight railroad industry: Final report (Rev. 0). Transport Canada.
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e3b7351b6604b580d130bc46ef4b1cec068800c7929a010f931ef2b6a420115c550f1a62e78de49db25ed5657cc2369df6b9d9e0a6d437ac4cc92174facc12a9
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/86830/dot_86830_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.37 MB ]