Support Services

Installation, Service & Maintenance, Refurbishment, Friction Measurement

Installation

Our team of professionals can provide the service and technical expertise necessary to install, maintain and verify the optimum performance of your friction management system throughout its life cycle.

Service and maintenance

From routine maintenance to annual inspections, a contract program can be developed to address the unique service intervals and maintenance of your lubrication sites.

Refurbishment

We will refurbish your existing units, replacing any worn or damaged parts. We can remove and reinstall if required.

Friction measurement

Using a certified tribometer we can assist with friction measurement of gage and tread of both rails, data compilation and analysis with solution recommendations.

Tribometer Calibration

We are a registered agent of LB Foster, qualified to calibrate and certify Salient Systems’ tribometers.

Total Friction Management

Total Friction Management (TFM™) is the systematic assessment and implementation of friction control combined with the technology to monitor, maintain and manage friction to achieve short and long-term performance benefits. The Total Friction Management program can provide the personnel and/or equipment for:

  • Friction management and lubrication consulting, assessment, implementation and management
  • On-board lubrication system installation and maintenance
  • Wayside site selection, installation and maintenance
  • Bulk wayside refilling
  • Training
  • Parts stocking and rebuilding

LUBRICATION CONSULTING

A complete engineering review and assessment of track systems and their lubrication and friction management requirements based upon traffic patterns, topography and climate. The review facilitates recommendations on the optimal type of lubrication system or mix of systems.

WAYSIDE LUBRICATION

Site Selection

Performed as part of a complete lubrication consulting assessment or as a wayside-specific analysis, the Total Friction Management program can select wayside lubrication sites to improve wayside lubrication to the gage face or to the top-of-rail for application of liquid friction modifiers.

Installation

Performed as part of a site selection assessment or to a designated location, the Total Friction Management programme can install any type of wayside lubrication systems, retrofit kits or necessary component replacement.

Maintenance

From routine maintenance to annual inspections, a contract programme can be developed to address the unique service intervals and maintenance of each lubrication site.

Bulk Wayside Refilling

Can be performed as part of a Total Friction Management wayside lubricator maintenance programme or solely as bulk lubricant refilling of wayside reservoirs. We can provide the personnel and/or the equipment and lubricants.

Parts Stocking Program

Provides planned inventories for timely delivery of strategic components.

Training Programs

Our lubrication specialists provide expert training in an all encompassing programme at your site, or choose from more specific topics addressing installation, scheduled maintenance or troubleshooting.

We are the exclusive agent for LB Foster’s Total Friction Management solutions, which includes 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 (signal 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 extend the life of your rail asset whist ensuring increased safety, 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