Airlube Rail

Total Friction Management

Airlube Rail offers a comprehensive range of Friction Management solutions utilising the products and expertise of LB Foster Rail Technologies. Friction management increases operational efficiency through fuel savings and reduces track maintenance, rail wear and noise to save you money and extend the life of your rail assets.

Airlube Rail is the exclusive Australian agent for LB Foster’s Total Friction Management solutions, comprising a wide range of proprietary systems to control friction between the wheel and rail for transit and freight rail applications.

For more than a century LB Foster has provided the materials necessary to build and maintain the world’s infrastructure and their friction management products and delivery systems provide substantial cost benefits by maximising equipment performance and minimising wear at the wheel/rail interface.

Friction Management Benefits on Transit Systems

Uncontrolled friction at the wheel/rail interface results in a number of detriments including: curve noise, excessive wheel and rail wear, corrugations and rolling contact fatigue, wheel flats, SPADS (signals passed at danger due to lubricant on the rail head), higher fuel/energy consumption and potential safety issues like wheel climb derailment and high lateral forces.

A Friction Management system will actively extend the life of the rail assets whilst ensuring increased safety and efficiency and reduced noise.

Friction Management | LB Foster

Noise Reduction

Curve noise reduction of up to 20 dB

Extend Wheel Life

Extend wheel life by up to 20x

Grinding Intervals

Extend grinding intervals by 2x

Rail Wear Reduction

35% – 60% rail wear reduction

Lower Fuel Consumption

3% – 7% reduction in fuel consumption

Lateral Force Reduction

25% – 40% lateral force reduction reduces derailment potential

Lubrication Applicators

LB Foster Lubrication Applicators

Explore LB Foster’s PROTECTOR® trackside system and LCF (Low Coefficient of Friction) Solid Stick solution for Gauge Face, Top of Rail and Top of Wheel applications.

Gauge Face Application
Wayside Protector IV®

If rail/wheel wear is a primary concern, as well as flange noise and fuel efficiency, LB Foster’s Wayside Protector IV® Track Lubrication system and GreaseGuide bar is the solution. Gauge Face Lubrication is widely implemented around the world but the electronic, wayside lubrication system is by far the most efficient and successful friction management system.

Top of Rail Application
Wayside Protector IV®

Top of Rail (TOR) friction impacts lateral forces, rail/wheel wear (top of rail and tread), rolling contact fatigue, fuel efficiency, squeal noise, flange noise, corrugations, hunting, derailment potential and traction/adhesion. LB Foster’s Protector IV® Track Lubrication System applies revolutionary KELTRACK® Trackside Top of rail friction modifiers exactly where required through a range of TOR foam applicator bars including the new, simplified foam bar.

On Board Application
KELSAN® LCF Solid Stick

Flange lubrication on the wheel/rail interface can significantly reduce flange wear, energy/fuel consumption, flanging noise, wheel profiling frequency, wheel climb derailment potential and rolling contact fatigue (RCF). LB Foster’s KELSAN® Wheel Flange Lubrication System includes the LCF (Low Coefficient of Friction) solid stick solution which has been proven through extensive testing to provide the best lubricity and retentivity to resist wear in the industry.

Traction Enhancement

Catch-All Track Mats

Traction Enhancement
Traction Gel Applicators

Railway wheel traction is adversely affected by top of rail surface contamination. To alleviate this, LB Foster’s Traction Gel Applicator (TGA) applies Traction Gel to the rail head to combat the build up of leaf contamination on the head of the running rail(s). The gel is picked up by the train wheels and carried along, treating both the wheels and the rail head.

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Minimise impact
Catch-all Track Mat

CATCH-ALL Track Mats function as a “high-tech carpet” by covering the ground surface of the lubrication/friction management site. Placed over the ties, CATCH-ALL is easily and quickly cut to match any gauge face or top of rail applicator configuration for a custom-fit installation. CATCH-ALL has excellent durability and is highly resistant to ultraviolet deterioration, solvents, puncture, excessive temperatures, moisture and high volume traffic.