Railway Track & Structures - February 2008 - (Page 25) Lubrication Modifying rail friction Lubrication advances offer easier loading and maintenance for continued improvement in fuel economy, rail and wheel life and more-efficient operations. R ailroads don’t need to be convinced of the benefits of rail lubrication at this stage of the game, but suppliers are continuing to improve their offerings with easier loading and maintenance, as well as advanced friction modifiers. L.B. Foster “Following several successful years in the market, L.B. Foster Company has added new features to its existing line-up of wayside rail lubrication products,” said Sid Shue, general manager, rail products engineering. In late 2006, the company began to offer its Lubricurve™ Electro 20 Electric Rail Lubricator equipped with a sophisticated telemetry system, Shue noted. L.B. Foster’s track lubrication partner, QHi-Rail in the United Kingdom, designed this package. “This past year, several product enhancements were made to the Lubricurve™ Electro 20,” he said. “In response to customer feedback, the grease cabinet has been redesigned to have a lower profile. This new cabinet provides ergonomic advantages when manual grease filling is required. In www.rtands.com addition, the lower profile is an advantage over other units where height is an issue such as with various North American transit systems.” Shue continued: “A second product enhancement is called EASi-BLADE. This unique wiper blade design moves, allowing the blade to pivot off the railhead without having to be removed prior to rail grinding. It is really a whole new concept in wiper blade design. L.B. Foster’s partner QHi-Rail has already introduced this with great acceptance in the United Kingdom. L.B. Foster expects the same in the U.S. “This is a single-point wiper blade attachment, installs quickly and is very competitively priced,” Shue pointed out. “It is suitable for all wayside track lubrication devices in use. It’s quick and easy maintenance are distinct advantages over other blades. And the ability to quickly move the blade out of, and then back into, position during rail grinding operations is key.” The company has also introduced a new blade design incorporating a trough to catch excess grease, keeping the track cleaner and reducing maintenance costs. It can be retrofitted to existing units or is available on new devices. L.B. Foster continues to pursue other product developments that will likely be introduced to the market later in the year. The company entered the North American market with a line of lubrication devices in 2005 and installed its lubricator on several major heavy-haul lines the following year. Last year, the company’s products were customized to meet specific customer requirements through enhancements such as telemetry, expanded power options and new systems configurations. In 2008, the company intends to continue to expand its customer base via increasing penetration of shortline and regional railroads and railroad contractors. “We are very pleased with acceptance by our customers and the progress we have made over the past 2-3 years since we introduced these products,” Shue said. “Railroads are replacing older, aged equipment for track lubrication with new technologies and products and are adding new units to provide lubrication in areas that hadn’t previously been L.B. Foster’s Lubricurve™ Electro 20 Electric Rail Lubricator on track. Railway Track & Structures February 2008 25 http://www.rtands.com
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