The Importance of Curve Lubrication, Their Installation and Maintenance

Details

• Creators:
  Counter, M. G.
• Corporate Creators:
  Roadmasters' and Maintenance of Way Association of America
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Rail lubrication
  • Maintenance of way
  • Curved rail
  • Railroad rails
  • Installation
  • Maintenance
• Resource Type:
  Proceedings
• Right Statement:
  Public Domain
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  Roadmasters' and Maintenance of Way Association of America
• Description:
  This 1955 committee report examines the engineering and economic case for curve lubrication on North American railroads, with emphasis on track-mounted lubricators. The report identifies gauge-face wear of high rails and wheel-flange wear as major maintenance concerns that became more significant with diesel locomotives, higher speeds, and four-wheel truck steering characteristics. Drawing on experience from representatives of 22 railroads, the committee reports that proper lubrication can substantially reduce abrasion and extend high-rail life by approximately 25 to 300 percent, depending on curvature, speed, tonnage, superelevation, and other operating conditions. Its economic analysis is primarily a Maintenance-of-Way assessment, emphasizing longer rail and track-component life, reduced re-gauging and rail replacement, and lower labor and material costs; in some cases, rail savings alone were considered sufficient to recover lubricator costs within the first year. Mechanical benefits, including reduced locomotive and car-wheel wear, are acknowledged but not systematically quantified. The report also notes that lubrication reduces friction in curves and can increase trailing-tonnage capability on grades with heavy curvature, but it provides no quantitative estimates of resistance reduction, tonnage gains, fuel savings, or other Transportation benefits. The study therefore represents a partial economic assessment centered on wear reduction and asset-life extension, with additional Mechanical and Transportation benefits largely left unquantified. It also provides practical guidance on lubricator selection, placement, inspection, lubricant characteristics, and maintenance.
• Content Notes:
  Please cite as: Counter, M. G. (1955). The importance of curve lubrication, their installation and maintenance. In Proceedings of the 67th annual convention of the Roadmasters' and Maintenance of Way Association of America. Roadmasters' and Maintenance of Way Association of America.
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/93357/dot_93357_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 60.39 KB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0a193b20a753d0852cef2363a365c2ad157ff5688201d2e8cccc5ab139e100b8317221e95e7caf9670835033aaf7e121607fa139f3d436d1f69992236e855c28