Re: (erielack) Further re: Flange Oilers

[Smtimko_@_aol.com]

Alan

I never saw the 'troughs of oil or grease' that you write of.  The flange 
oilers or greasers that I am familiar with the Erie/EL used on the Mahoning 
Division consisted of a reservoir for the grease underground with a hose or 
two running from the tank to the inside of the rail.  There was a mechanical 
device that, when the wheel hit the device that was on the gauge side of the 
rail, it caused the ratchet to turn and pump a shot of grease to the area of 
the inside of the gauge.

They were quite effective.  They held about 35 gal of grease.

Conrail installed flange oilers directly on the lead truck of locomotives in 
the '90's to cut down on wheel wear and rail wear.  This was somewhat 
effective, but hard to maintain.  The flow of lubrication to the wheel and 
transferred to the rail caused some wheel slip and many engineers turned the 
oilers off.

Conrail went to a new style of grease tank located above ground rather than 
in the ground.

smt

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