Rail Curve Grease Evaluation -
Biobased Vs. Conventional* Part 3 Field Testing
Lou Honary, Professor and Director Emeritus University of Northern Iowa
Field testing began in early winter at two different sites in Cedar Rapids and in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Two lubricators at each site; one pumping petroleum grease to one track and the other pumping bio-based grease to the other track. Each site had lubricators from different Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) which were identified as OEM 1 and OEM 2. Tribometer readings for coefficient of friction were taken at one mile intervals up to five miles on each side of the lubricators. The results helped to show how the test grease could handle the extreme temperatures and how far each of the test greases are carried down the track in a revenue service railroad.
Due to time limitations, only one bio-based winter grease was tested side by side with the ‘reference’ mineral oil-based grease during the months of January, February and March. Since starting in May the bio-based summer greases were tested side by side next to one reference petroleum grease.
Two lubricators from OEM 1 were already in use at the railroad. But, two new lubricators from the OEM 2 were acquired for the field test. The two existing lubricators were removed from the site and were refurbished to new condition by installing new components as supplied by the manufacturer.
(Figure 1)shows the lubricators in the Cedar Falls and in the Cedar Rapids test site respectively. One lubricator supplied
Figure 1. The two new Lubricators from OEM 2 were installed on the Cedar Rapids site
grease to one side of the track and the second one to the other side of the track. Both lubricators were placed next to each other to provide the same environmental exposure, but their hoses were run to different track. Track mats were used to collect any spilled mineral oil based grease.
After the installation of the lubricators at both sites an attempt was made to adjust the delivery of each grease from each lubricator to about 0.4 lbs per each 100 wheel sensed by the wheel sensor. A hand held tribometer was then used to take measurements of the coefficient of friction at one mile intervals away from each lubricator (Figure 2). Since each lubricator was dispensing grease to one side of the track, the tribometer readings were taken on both sides of the track at mile intervals from the lubricators.
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LUBE MAGAZINE NO.131 FEBRUARY 2016
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