Recent Railfan outing and found this trackside device

[SilverSpike]

CSX Rail and Flange Greaser  on Saturday, December 8, 2007.

We ran across this device a few weeks ago and finally returned with the camera. Grease is all over the place and there is an apron material between the rails that seems to catch the excess grease, and plenty of leaves and debris too getting caught by the grease clumps. Going to think about modeling a few of these on the PD.

Now many may say we were trespassing, but if you look down a bit in the background of the fourth and fifth images you will see other folks crossing, this is a sidewalk way that crosses over the tracks from the Baptist College and leading to the Wake Forest town square, it gets plenty of daily foot traffic. Actually, I am surprised that there are no warning signs or postings anywhere around these tracks.

(click images for a larger view)

       

 

[eolafan]

Obviously this is a rail/track lubricator which automatically applies grease to the rail so as to minimize wear and tear on both the rail and the wheel flanges on locomotives and cars.  Such devices are most often found where the curvature of the track is to a degree that excessive wear on track and equipment is "normal" and the expense of the lubricator is offset by much less wear on track and equipment.  What's odd here is there does not seem to be any track curvature visible...perhaps there is a significant curve not in the pictures but nearby?

[SilverSpike]

Jim,

The track does have a left curvature about 1/2 mile to the south and a right curvature about 1/4 mile to the north of this location, however the radius on each is quite gradual and does not appear excessive.

Ryan

[eolafan]

Jim,

The track does have a left curvature about 1/2 mile to the south and a right curvature about 1/4 mile to the north of this location, however the radius on each is quite gradual and does not appear excessive.

Ryan

The mystery continues!!!!!!!!!

[Krazykat112079]

Appearances can be deceiving. 

[jpwoodruff]

I saw such a device once that had a substantial - maybe 4ft -  rectangular enclosure near: maybe a lubricant reservoir?  At Trail-of-Tears MO state park -- a beautiful place!

I'm wondering: what pumps the grease onto the rail?   Maybe the passing train weight flexes a diaphram?

 

John 

[SilverSpike]

Appearances can be deceiving. 

Here is a link to Google Maps of the area in question.

I'm wondering: what pumps the grease onto the rail?   Maybe the passing train weight flexes a diaphram?

John 

Here is a close-up of the flange and rail lubricator, and not being a mechanical engineer I surmise that the raised metal piece near the top and outside edge of the rail gets pushed down buy the wheels as the trains passes and with each push down of that metal piece it activates the pump action and lube is pumped through the tubes and flows onto the insides of the rails.

 

 

[BaltACD]

Appearances can be deceiving. 

Here is a link to Google Maps of the area in question.

 

The map indicates an area that is far from tangent and it does not look like this is 79 MPH territory.  What may appear to be a 'gentle' curve to highway style perceptions is a real curve when a flanged wheel needs to be forced around it.

[eolafan]

I have a suspicion from looking at the Google map you provided and "backtracking" the line all the way N.E. to what appears to be its termination, that the original line was the line described in the attached...see link:

http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/ridgeway/rgrr.html

[SilverSpike]

I'm not questioning the reason CSX has this device at that particular location, I'm just happy to have found it in my town. Heck, CSX must have had a good enough reason to put it there especially since this device cost them a few bucks in purchase and installation to boot.

The device was manufactured by Portec and if this unit needs to be replaced a new one would cost CSX a lot more than this old thing.

They have come a long way from the mechanical one we found on our outing and now have

The PROTECTOR^® IV.

Features include:

• Digital Solid-state Controls
• Non-Contact Smart Wheel Sensor
• Separate Clean-hands Component Compartment
• DC Solar or AC Power Source

I have a suspicion from looking at the Google map you provided and "backtracking" the line all the way N.E. to what appears to be its termination, that the original line was the line described in the attached...see link:

http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/ridgeway/rgrr.html

Jim,

I will have to check that site at home, for some reason anglefire sites are blocked here at work.

Thanks,

Ryan

[Modelcar]

....Sure, that raised part above the rail most likely rotates that "drive shaft" to either start a pump or mechanically pumps a bit of grease with each passing of a wheel.....Perhaps an arrangement of a ratchet mechanisim to rotate the shaft a bit as each wheel passes.

[CShaveRR]

CSX Rail and Flange Greaser

Now many may say we were trespassing, but if you look down a bit in the background of the fourth and fifth images you will see other folks crossing, this is a sidewalk way that crosses over the tracks from the Baptist College and leading to the Wake Forest town square, it gets plenty of daily foot traffic. Actually, I am surprised that there are no warning signs or postings anywhere around these tracks.

Who needs warning signs when you have a gooey, slimy tar pit?  Maybe MC will weigh in, but I don't think these things are supposed to make that much of a mess.

[mudchicken]

Appearances can be deceiving. 

Here is a link to Google Maps of the area in question.

I'm wondering: what pumps the grease onto the rail?   Maybe the passing train weight flexes a diaphram?

John 

Here is a close-up of the flange and rail lubricator, and not being a mechanical engineer I surmise that the raised metal piece near the top and outside edge of the rail gets pushed down buy the wheels as the trains passes and with each push down of that metal piece it activates the pump action and lube is pumped through the tubes and flows onto the insides of the rails.

 

 

You are looking at the plunger that pumps the grease onto the rail. The newer flange lubricatiors use a battery powered/ solar cell arangement that heats the grease slightly and pumps it out on both rails.

This is an older Portec mechanical pneumatic unit, the box goes about 2 feet into the ground and stores a 5 gallon bag or can of grease in it. It apparently was set up to carry grease to rails in both directions (the wheels carry the grease)...the maintainer needs to better understand what the goop gauge is telling him and clean the blades...wonder how much grease is winding up on top of the rail instead of on the side of the ball of rail where it belongs.

[chefjavier]

Jim,

The track does have a left curvature about 1/2 mile to the south and a right curvature about 1/4 mile to the north of this location, however the radius on each is quite gradual and does not appear excessive.

Ryan

Ryan:

Can you take pictures from the other side of the curve? What is the cost for a single unit?

[spokyone]

You are looking at the plunger that pumps the grease onto the rail. The newer flange lubricatiors use a battery powered/ solar cell arangement that heats the grease slightly and pumps it out on both rails.

This is an older Portec mechanical pneumatic unit, the box goes about 2 feet into the ground and stores a 5 gallon bag or can of grease in it. It apparently was set up to carry grease to rails in both directions (the wheels carry the grease)...the maintainer needs to better understand what the goop gauge is telling him and clean the blades...wonder how much grease is winding up on top of the rail instead of on the side of the ball of rail where it belongs.

Gee. I thought they all looked like this. This is in MO, just south of Hannibal

 

[chefjavier]

You are looking at the plunger that pumps the grease onto the rail. The newer flange lubricatiors use a battery powered/ solar cell arangement that heats the grease slightly and pumps it out on both rails.

This is an older Portec mechanical pneumatic unit, the box goes about 2 feet into the ground and stores a 5 gallon bag or can of grease in it. It apparently was set up to carry grease to rails in both directions (the wheels carry the grease)...the maintainer needs to better understand what the goop gauge is telling him and clean the blades...wonder how much grease is winding up on top of the rail instead of on the side of the ball of rail where it belongs.

Gee. I thought they all looked like this. This is in MO, just south of Hannibal

 

Very nice! I wonder what is the cost for those pumps?

[SilverSpike]

BTW all, this line is still in use and has regular CSX traffic with twice daily runs, typically a northbound consist in the mornings around 9:00 AM and then an evening southbound consist between 5 and 8 PM. Here is an image of one northbound I caught earlier in the year (March 2007):

 

 

I have a suspicion from looking at the Google map you provided and "backtracking" the line all the way N.E. to what appears to be its termination, that the original line was the line described in the attached...see link:

http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/ridgeway/rgrr.html

Jim - I finally checked out the angelfire site and then I went back to Google maps and following the line from Ridgeway, NC to what appears to be the end of the line in Littleton, NC. Mileage from Wake Forest to Ridgeway is about 39 miles, and mileage from Ridgeway to Littleton is about 19 miles.

Quentin and Mudchicken - I appreciate the addition of technical writing on the actual mechanics of how this device operates, thanks for the accurate documentation!

Carl - Yea, we made sure to stay away from the grease covered areas, and my main point however was the lack of any signs for staying off the MOW.

Javier - I tried to look up the cost of those new units on the Portec website, but you have to ask them for a quote, no prices were listed on the website. I would imagine that the cost is based on the system and implementation that is selected on a per customer basis.

[Modelcar]

....Ryan, checked in on your web site.  Very impressive.  Enjoyed looking around.  Detail upon detail...Looks like lots of work has been completed so far and more to continue.

Thanks for sharing.

[SilverSpike]

Quentin,

Glad you liked the site, just this week my Piedmont Division (PD) web site was selected as the Web Site of the Week on 2Guyz and some Trains website. It is the first time my PD website has been a feature on another site so I am quite excited.

Thanks again,

Ryan

[chefjavier]

Ryan:

Thanks for the information>>> Great Website..

[Anonymous]

The one thing I have found out railroads and greasers is, the railroad always finds the most inconvenient and illogical places to put them. I have seen a lot of them about 1/2 mile before the curve or excessive placement on major grades. They put 2 on a major hill where I run when 1 would have been sufficient then they wonder why a 10,000 ton freight with 3 sd-40's stall on a 1.6% grade.