Drilling
Down to Top-of-Rail Friction Control February
1, 2005 There
are two primary approaches to friction management
on rail transit systems: onboard and wayside. The most effective
method depends
upon the demands of the system. A relatively small system with
consistent degrees of curvature, for example, might lend itself
to onboard application. A system with localized, site-specific
problems, such as tight radius curves, may be better served by
wayside treatment. Embedded track systems or areas with pedestrian
traffic in which contamination is unacceptable may benefit from
an alternate approach in which a small amount of lubricant or
friction modifier is pumped to the surface through a hole drilled
into the head of the rail.
Research into the potential benefit of a drilled-hole approach
to friction control was performed by the Transportation Technology
Center, Inc., through the Transit Cooperative Research Program,
an initiative funded through the Federal Transit Administration
to leverage results from other segments of the industry.
Top-of-rail friction modifiers have been shown to effectively
control friction and reduce noise in transit applications. Wayside
gauge-face lubricators have been shown to reduce rail wear. Drilled-hole
applications in some cases can be used to control friction at
both the gauge face and top of rail. The drilled-hole system
is designed to apply a very small amount of lubricant at site-specific
locations. Initially designed and intended for paved track applications
in which the use of typical wayside applicators is not feasible,
the drilled-hole system requires a very small footprint. This
is especially beneficial in that only a small section of the
roadway must be disturbed in post-construction installations,
Richard Reiff, Principle Engineer at the Transportation Technology
Center, Inc., told delegates at Interface Journal and
Advanced Rail Management's Rail Transit '04 Wheel/Rail Interaction
Seminar.
(See "Examining
wheel/rail interaction on rail transit systems.")
JANUARY 2005 "Reducing
Noise and Vibration on NYCT" READ
ARTICLENOVEMBER 2004 "Examining Wheel/Rail
Interaction on Rail Transit Systems" READ
ARTICLEAUGUST 2004 "Controlling
Top-of-Rail Friction" READ
ARTICLE
Register to receive free editorial updates and current information from
Interface Journal CLICK HERE
Copyright Interface Journal 2004 - 2008
This
content
may not be reproduced without written permission. All
tradenames and logos are protected under copyright law and are
the property of their respective owners. | Read our
privacy/legal statement before utilizing this site.
Top-of-rail friction modifiers have been shown to effectively
control friction and reduce noise in transit applications. Wayside
gauge-face lubricators have been shown to reduce rail wear. Drilled-hole
applications in some cases can be used to control friction at
both the gauge face and top of rail. The drilled-hole system
is designed to apply a very small amount of lubricant at site-specific
locations. Initially designed and intended for paved track applications
in which the use of typical wayside applicators is not feasible,
the drilled-hole system requires a very small footprint. This
is especially beneficial in that only a small section of the
roadway must be disturbed in post-construction installations,
Richard Reiff, Principle Engineer at the Transportation Technology
Center, Inc., told delegates at 
