Best practice in rail curve lubrication and remote performance monitoring in heavy haul lines

Rail curve Lubrication is widely used to enhance below rail and above rail assets life, reduce rail/wheel maintenance and replacement costs. There are various types of applicators and greases used by rail industries. This includes mechanical, hydraulic, electrical actuators/ pumps, short and long bars and various types of grease. There is wide variation of performance of the wear levels for rails and wheels across the industry for similar operational, track and rolling stock characteristics. There is a need for best practice in rail curve lubrication. To establish lubrication best practice extensive field and lab tests of lubricators and greases are essential. Evaluation of latest technology equipment, their placement, optimal settings of grease application rate, reduced wastage, and quality are essential to achieve this. The research on Australian heavy haul lines in this area has been limited. This paper considers the effectiveness of the lubrication equipments, the length of lubricator bars, the bar location of lubricators in tangent track and the spirals of curved track and the different types of grease along with effectiveness of remote performance monitoring in heavy haul lines.