Rolling Stock

This article discusses features of a new friction management system, which is intended to boost efficiency on the railroad. Friction Management Services LLC of West Chicago, Illinois, has developed a friction management system, called TracGlide that consists of a synthetic polymer and computerized application equipment, installed on the locomotive at the front of the train. Unlike conventional lubrication schemes, the TracGlide system applies a friction modifier, not a lubricant, to the top of the rail. Although railroads usually avoid treating the tops of rails to avoid traction problems, the TracGlide polymer tends to increase the coefficient of friction when needed. The friction modifier is applied on both rails after the last axle of the last locomotive at the front of the train passes by. The application is computer controlled, based on factors such as the train’s weight, track curvature, speed, and temperature of the lubricant, which are constantly changing.