Saperstein
Member
Pic taken at Wrexham General platform 3. A cable runs from the object in question to one of the running rails.
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Pic taken at Wrexham General platform 3. A cable runs from the object in question to one of the running rails.
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swt_passenger
Veteran Member
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Wheel flange greaser. It’s a hose, not a cable. It squirts grease onto the rail side to be picked up by the passing wheel. I think the operating device is possibly just out of view at bottom left of your picture.
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edwin_m
Veteran Member
Only onto the side of the rail, not the top! At least if it's working properly.
ac6000cw
Established Member
...normally the inside edge of the outer rail of a curve, to reduce rail and wheel flange wear (and noise) on sharp curves.
On curves, the axle/wheelset moves sideways towards the outer rail due to the conicity of the wheels (which allows the effective diameter of the two wheels on an axle to be different, to match the different distance each wheel travels in a curve). In sharp curves this results in the outer wheel flanges rubbing against the inside edge of the outer rail, which causes high wear on that rail - so it has to be replaced more often. Greasing is much cheaper than replacing rails and wheelsets more often, and can also reduce the tendency of the outer wheel to climb up the side of the railhead and derail in sharp curves (additional 'check rails' have to be fitted on very sharp curves to prevent that happening).
On curves, the axle/wheelset moves sideways towards the outer rail due to the conicity of the wheels (which allows the effective diameter of the two wheels on an axle to be different, to match the different distance each wheel travels in a curve). In sharp curves this results in the outer wheel flanges rubbing against the inside edge of the outer rail, which causes high wear on that rail - so it has to be replaced more often. Greasing is much cheaper than replacing rails and wheelsets more often, and can also reduce the tendency of the outer wheel to climb up the side of the railhead and derail in sharp curves (additional 'check rails' have to be fitted on very sharp curves to prevent that happening).
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DarloRich
Veteran Member
oh yes! My favorite piece of railway equipment: The flange greaser. You need a greased up flange and all times. fnar. fnar.
PS nudge nudgung aside would it be an idea to have a gallery of pictures and explanations for standard pieces of railway equipment as an kind of FAQ type thing?
hexagon789
Veteran Member
I suggested something like that for acrnoyms and terminology but apparently they are trying to cut down on pinned threads.
The forum would lose half its activity! No flange greasers, AWS magnets, breadbins, and dare I say...
All together: Datum Plates!!!
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