I was walking along a local walking path and saw this device on the tracks that runs along the path. The line is essentially an industrial spur and serves several local industries over the 10 mile or so long line. As you can see in the picture there is a metal box next to the tracks with some tubing running to one of the rails. It appears very greasy but I can’t tell if it is emitting the grease or is just kept greasy as part of its operation. What you might not be able to see is in between the tracks is what appears to be a large black, rubber mat, probably to soak up the grease. Does anyone know what this is used for?
As Norm in the previous post identified the object, you may wish to read more about these items here. Additional images of these lubricators can also be found here.
This particular spot is at a switch to a couple industries. The turn into the industry, while I couldn’t see the whole thing from the path I was on, seemed pretty sharp. So it makes sense to have it positioned there, to me.
They have been manufactured in Owego, NY for over 70 years and are being made by other companies around the country and the world today. Trains Magazine did an article on them within the last year.
I have read somewhere that new technology will be replacing these ‘greasers’ in the near future. I’ve watched cleanup at one of these things, and even with a containment mat they make one heck of a mess that would drive greenies up the wall.
Returning to the thrilling days of yesteryear…California’s San Joaquin Valley to the Bay, Altamont Pass. Clawing up from Midway,by our toe nails, looking at the ground and back for spin-out drivers, I said to my brakeman the next greaser may get us, meaning I may not be good enough to keep moving beyond it. One or two mph, SD45’s at 1200 amps and more, the brakeman opens the fireman’s side door and is gone. I kept moving. Fan the independent ,throttle down and keep the amperage max’ed, I thought I did it.
Side vision saw the brake man walking up aside the train and watched him board. when in the cab he said, “do any good,?”
" After each wheel went by, I threw hand-fulls of sand on the greaser."
I…we…didn’t stall but took a half hour for the last 2 1/2 miles to Altamont.
Politically correctness issue? Back then and earlier did “greaser” apply to an ethnic group or two?
I agree with Charlie, both on the “smart brakeman” and the greasers.
The correct term for the rail appliance is flange lubricator, and if the flanges are all that they get, they can be a good thing. But I guess it can migrate to the top of the rail, too.
As to the other “greasers”, there were no ethnic overtones involved in our use of the term during high school. They were the guys interested in cars, cigarettes, and women their prowess with girls. One of my smarter classmates was on the money when she said, “Things will be better when we’re seniors [in high school, of course!]–by then the grease will be skimmed off.”
Lion: The lubricant carries quite a ways. Often one flange lubricator will protect multiple curves. If the tonnage/ wheel count is similar in both directions, the flange lubricator may well apply the grease in tangents in the middle. Sometimes the blades are on the gage side of both rails and sometimes just one side with overlapping coverage.
Many times, the grease is applied by the locomotive or hi-rail truck. (Not so much on locomotives - the mechanical bubbas don’t like the extra duties making sure the grease supply is full…the RFE and the TM probably bribe the mechanical folks to not refill them.)
I see Bob found one of those Portec solar powered spoogers. The acrimony between trainmasters and roadmasters over application of grease is legendary.
In mountain country, often one man is assigned solely to maintain, refill and adjust the flange lubricators.
I was tempted to do a little “greasing” myself this past week in Deshler - some of the cars coming around the “transfers” really sing. Figured a little WD40 squirted from a distance might quiet 'em down for a little bit, anyhow.
Perhaps it was just as well. Many many years ago the older brother of a friend who who lived a few houses away asked me if my Mom has and grease. This was during WWII and Moms would save their cooking grease for the war effort. I went in and got him the grease can.
Later I learned he and a few others took it to the local railroad track, a track on a slight up hill grade, and painted the rails with it. A long heavy troop train came along and began to skid. As the train slowly stopped some local girls climbed on board to visit the soldiers before they shipped out. The appreciative soldiers in turn threw coins to the guys who made it all possible. But I
Acrimpony between trainmasters and roadmasters? I am shocked. Shocked, I say.
Every once in a blue moon we’ll get an old yard goat engine that still has the brackets for the flange lubricator sticks (never once seen one being used)… any other roads use them?
Probably wouldn’t have helped. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the squealing is often not from the flanges rubbing against the gage side of the rail head. Instead, the screeching is from the tread of one wheel ‘hopping’ or ‘skipping’ a microscopic distance - called “creep” - due to the wheels being mounted rigidly on the axle, and the different distances around the curve of the inner vs. outer rails. That distance differential has to be made up somehow, and that’s often how the wheel-axle-rail-track system accomplishes it.
