Lubricate the Outer Rail on Curves.

Progress, Volume III, Issue I, 1 November 1907, Page 26

Lubricate the Outer Rail on Curves.

As everyone is interested in the of railroad tra\el, it behoves the public m general to give this matter all ..he thought possible. The friction of the wheels ou outer rails of curves is well known During ram there is little troubL ; in dry \v eather the wheels " climb " They r.ow have pipes so arranged that they would throw a ]et of water or cheap oil against the side of the outer rail when the locomotive struck the curve thereby lubricating same and reducing the tendency the wheels have to climb. It would be a very simple matter to arrange the feed valves for the control of lubnacnt so that they would open only when the engine struck the curve, closing again when straight track was reached By a system of this kind and a practice of boltuig the two rails together in curves so that th^v could nnf spread the public would hear les^ of a\ recks m such places. The above suggestions of a correspondent are sound. The practice of directing a fine stream of water against the Oi.ter rail was tried in Western America son c years ago with <»o"'! insults.