TransForum Vol. 3, No. 1

RAIL LUBRICANT TECHNOLOGY GOES HIGH TECH

"I ... have invented a new and useful improvement on locomotive-engines used on railroads and common roads by which inclined planes and hills may be ascended and heavy loads drawn up the same with more facility and economy than heretofore, and by which the evil effects of frost, ice, snows, and mud on the rail causing the wheels to slide are obviated." - John Ruggles, Thomaston, Maine, patent, July 28, 1836.

Even after nearly two centuries of service, railroad technology continues to evolve. Like Ruggles, Argonne researchers and the rail industry are seeking ways to make railroad technology safer and more cost-effective - particularly in terms of a new generation of rail lubrication technology.

Argonne is evaluating a computerized lubrication system developed by Tranergy Corporation that applies lubricant to both rails as the train passes by. Photos show the nozzle and tank components of the system.

"We are assessing the environmental and tribological performance of a new railroad lubrication concept being proposed by Tranergy Corporation, an industrial partner," says Argonne's Mohumad Alzoubi. Tranergy, working with Texaco, has invented a computerized lubrication system - called SENTRAEN 2000TM - that applies top-of-rail (TOR) lubricant on both rails after the last axle of the last locomotive at the front of the train passes by. The problem has been that the railroad industry has yet to find a really effective rail lubrication technology. This one holds a lot of promise.

Explains Alzoubi, "A computerized system onboard the train precisely controls the amount of lubricant applied to the rails. The lubricant additives are formulated and applied in such a way that they function as a lubricant for a limited period. After the train passes over the lubricated sections, the lubricant degrades and no longer functions."

"We are investigating to confirm that the top-of-rail lubricant is environmentally cleaner than the moly [flange grease lubricant] and graphite grease being used today," says Alzoubi, adding that "the lubricant easily degrades, does not build up on the rails or wheels, and does not increase full-service braking distance." Other benefits are numerous: the technology could save the industry energy, increase productivity (fewer locomotives can be used to pull the same number of cars), cut track maintenance costs (less wear on wheels and tracks), and help prevent derailments. According to the American Association of Railroads, the system could save the railroad industry up to $2 billion annually in energy and wheel/rail maintenance costs.

Alzoubi and his colleagues are collecting and qualitatively identifying any volatile and semivolatile degradation compounds produced by using TOR lubricant. "We are also determining whether or not the compounds are environmentally safe, biodegradable, and nontoxic," he says. In addition to that work, he is investigating the effects of axle load, angle of attack, and quantity of lubricant on lateral friction forces, as well as the lubricant consumption time.

Alzoubi's research found that introducing TOR lubricant results in an almost 60% reduction in lateral friction force, which offers great potential for energy savings and wear reduction. "In terms of additional work," says Alzoubi, "we need to investigate how the lubricant performs in extreme cold (from 30¡F to -50¡F) and extreme heat (from 100¡F to 150¡F)." In addition, Alzoubi and his colleagues plan to characterize wear debris, run tests with laser-glazed wheels, and further analyze the degradation of the TOR lubricant under real-world conditions.

Research partners include the U.S. Department of Energy, Texaco Corporation, and Tranergy Corporation.