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(last edited October 19, 2005) Front Page | Recent Changes | Title Index | User Preferences | Random Page | HelpOne of the critical areas of wear on railways occurs at the point of contact between wheel flange and rail at curves. This wear reduces the flange profile and, if allowed to develop, can cause derailment. It also damages the inside edge of the rail head. The wear can be reduced by lubrication of the area. The lubricators may consist of flange-actuated track mounted lubricators at the entrance to curves or trains may be fitted with on-board flange lubrication. The Paris Metro, for example, used a train-mounted lubricator which was actuated by links on the bogie which detected the change in angle as it turned onto a curve and injected a small amount of oil onto the wheel. The risk with flange lubrication is over application. This will leave lubricant on the wheel tread or rail head and result in skidding during braking. One such celebrated occasion occurred on London's Victoria Line some years ago which resulted in 35% of the trains being unservicable due to flatted wheels damaged by skidding.
