I don’t know about the RR’s, but I DO know that we almost NEVER replace th oil in our power plant. We have several dual fuel diesels and we have etensive oil filtration equipment, plus we have our oil tested regularly. When the numbers are off we “freshen” the oil by adding a pack of additives such as detergents and stuff.
Our oil is basically plain old SAE30. Cost is about #2 a quart. The last time we changed oil on a unit the oil was +20 years old.
The largest enging is a 10,000 HP Enterprise. Impresses the snot out of visitors when it’s running.
Fuel oil: #2 diesel, 37 cetane minimum, cloud point and pour point in winter are usually specified by the individual RR and supplier ususally meets specs by blending with #1 fuel oil.
10 years ago the lube oil was usually straight 40 weight with additive package designed specifically for RR diesels. The RRs were starting to tinker with multi-wt oils at that time. I don’t know if they’ve becomse std or not. Additive package is very high in detergents and buffering agents to keep the pH in range. The GE FDL is harder on oil than the EMD 645/710. It’s harder on the pH, dirt load and sheer.
There aren’t a lot of grease fittings on locomotives. In fact, I can’t think of one off the top of my head. I think most bearings are “greased for life”. The toughest grease application is the traction motor gearset. Most new locomotives now use oil, but older ones would take a lithium based grease with an EP additive (usually molybdenum)
Are railroads able to get diesel that still has higher levels of sulpher in it than does the #2 for roaded vehicles, or doe the injector systems on the bigger units not need the sulpher as much?
I had heard that the diesel in UPs Roseville CA yard and a couple of yards in L.A. use the low sulpher stuff.
I think there is a pump that the up and down motion of the rail (from the weight of passing axles/trucks) pumps oil onto the inside of the rail as a train passes over it.