Friction Modifiers

KELTRACK® Friction Modifiers

KELTRACK® Friction Modifiers are applied by the Wayside Protector IV® applicator, achieving significant increases in rail life while reducing fuel consumption, lateral forces, rail corrugations and derailment potential.

KELTRACK® Friction Modifiers

KELTRACK Trackside Freight Friction Modifiers, applied on the Top of Rail by the Wayside Protector IV® applicator, increase rail life while reducing fuel consumption, lateral forces, rail corrugations, and derailment potential. They also mitigate against stick slip oscillations at the wheel/rail interface which can cause wheel squeal and noise.

KELTRACK® Trackside Transit
Friction Modifier

KELTRACK® Trackside Transit Friction Modifiers are specifically formulated to provide effective noise and corrugation control on transit systems. KELTRACK® Friction Modifiers have positive friction properties – where friction levels increase asymptotically as creep increases.  This fundamental property of a true friction modifier mitigates against stick slip oscillations at the wheel/rail interface which can cause wheel squeal. The inherent intermediate friction levels also reduce the flanging forces thereby reducing flange noise. Extensive testing has verified that KELTRACK® Trackside Transit is also very effective for mitigating the onset of short pitch corrugations.

Benefits

  • Reduce wheel squeal and flange noise
  • Reduced rail corrugations
  • Reduced lateral forces
  • Reduced derailment potential
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Formulation Options Freight/Transit
Available Sizes 19 L (5 US gallons) Pail or 1000 L Tote
Fire Safety Non-Flammable
Odor None
Freezing Point (°C)  -6 (-21)
Specific Gravity at 25 °C 1.07 – 1.09
Friction Levels 0.30 to 0.40 µ
Carry Distances 200 to 500 meters typical (curve specific solution)
Application Rate   0.5 litre/1000 axles

KELTRACK® Trackside Freight
Friction Modifier

KELTRACK Trackside Freight Friction Modifiers have been specifically designed for extended carrydown in freight rail operations. Maximising carrydown optimises value by requiring less application equipment to cover an operating territory. Consequently, the product is able to achieve significant benefits of increasing rail life while reducing fuel consumption, lateral forces, rail corrugations, and derailment potential. KELTRACK Trackside Freight is applied through the PROTECTOR Series Trackside Applicator Systems to cover areas of track, generating high economic returns. By co-developing the friction modifier and the applicator, LB Foster has provided a comprehensive solution that functions as one co-ordinated unit.

Benefits

  • Increased rail life
  • Reduced fuel consumption
  • Reduced lateral forces
  • Reduced rail corrugations
  • Reduced derailment potential
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Formulation Options Freight / Transit
Available Sizes 19 L (5 US gallons) Pail or 1000 L Tote
Fire Safety  Non-Flammable
Odor Slight Odor
Freezing Point (°C) -6 (-16) Freight (LT) / -6 (Transit)
Viscosity, cP at 25°C 22,700-24,700 (17,000-19,000) Freight (LT)
Friction Levels   0.30 to 0.40 µ
Carry Distances  1.6 to 3.2 km depending on Grade
Application Rate   0.5 litre/1000 axles

KELTRACK® ER
Friction Modifier

KELTRACK Trackside Freight ER Friction Modifiers have special chemistry to boost the carrydown distance over the standard KELTRACK Trackside Freight product, while maintaining the intermediate coefficient of friction. Customers can choose to apply less material over the same distance or apply the same amount of material and cover twice the distance. The additional chemistry required to achieve this extended carrydown results in a higher unit volume price but an overall saving to the customer on their total Friction Modifier spend.

Benefits

  • Increased rail life
  • Reduced fuel consumption
  • Reduced lateral forces
  • Reduced rail corrugations
  • Reduced derailment potential
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Available Sizes 19 L (5 US gallons) Pail or 1000 L(264 US Gallon)Tote
Fire Safety Non-Flammable
Odor None
Freezing Point (°C)  -6 (-16) Summer (Winter)
Specific Gravity at 25 °C 1.05 – 1.08
Friction Levels 0.30 to 0.40 µ
Carry Distances 3.2 to 6.4 km depending on Grade
Application Rate  0.25 litre/1000 axles

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