Okay, I’m probably the only guy here who has heard this term, but does not know what it is or what exactly it does. Would someone be kind enough to explain what a flange oiler is? I first heard about this in a news article where some vandals set fire to one along a UP line. Thank you! (for not making fun of me! [:D] lol!)
-Rich
Squirts grease (heavy oil) on the inside face of the outer rail on sharp curves to prevent wearing down of the outer wheel flanges, as well as the rail itself, and to reduce squeel. Activated only when train is near.
thats it…but one note about it…its not activated when a train is near…it is activeated when a train passes over it…
csx engineer
As the train passes over the oiler, the flanges push down on a pin which then causes grease to be squirted onto the flange. When they are working properly, you will hear a loud “metallicy” clickety clack as the flanges pass over the oiler. They have been around for a number of years now. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown
They’re quite common around here.
Really cuts down on the flange squeel.
Not really a dumb question but I’ll add a dumb answer. The Chicago Transit Authority, famous for its 90-foot radius curves on the Loop L and elsewhere, makes pretty good use of flange oilers on these curves. As far as cutting down on the squeal from the flanges, my ears have been telling me for years that the oilers don’t help that much.
another question: How much grease is released each time it is used?
How much grease? This is one place you don’t walk around in your new Nikes! Stay clear of flange grease. It is impossible to remove from your shoes.
tom
Depends on how many wheels hit the plunger and how viscous the type of grease used is as to how much grease comes out on the blades. The amount applied can be adjusted up or down before it gets to the rail. Ideally, if the wheel hits the plunger a small bead about the size of the tip of your little finger comes out. Now multiply that by a unit coal train w/ 440 axles plus the power, and well…
Flange lubricators are placed where the wheels can carry the grease to do the most good over multiple curves and NOT get on the top of the rail. M/W folks also carry “goop gauges” to insure this.
[banghead][banghead][banghead]
Getting on top of the rail is what I was thinking about - Mudchicken, does the grease occasionally get on top of the rail (now that would cause problems!) or are those “goop gauges” pretty much foolproof? how do they work?
Dave
the grease is a pain in the butt when your trying to go up a hill… hit the greaser and you start slipping…almost stalled out many a train on a greaser… and MOW always always puts them in the worst places…
csx engineer