HELPING MOUNTAIN RAILWAYS CLIMB
When cogwheel trains start climbing or descending steeply, their cogs grip the rack anchored in the trackbed and overcome grades of up to 45 %. Anywhere there are gears bearing heavy loads, there is a need for lubrication. For three years now Berner Oberland Bahnen AG has successfully relied on rapidly biodegradable MOTOREX Cograil Oil Plus rack lubricant.
Visitors from around the world lean back comfortably on the ride up to Europe’s highest train station, situated at 3450 meters above sea level on the Jungfraujoch. Every day thousands of passengers make the journey. For Thomas Blatter, manager of the BOB workshop in Zweilütschinen, the top priority is always safety.
EXPERT ADVICE IS KEY
In its cooperation with Berner Oberland Bahnen, MOTOREX has already proven its excellent reliability. In the fall of 2015, following successful testing, the switch was set for rolling out the new Cograil Oil Plus rack lubricant.
WHEN THE COGWHEELS ENGAGE
On all four rack-equipped sections of the BOB rail network, each time the cog wheel engages with or disengages from the rack is a key moment. Ideally passengers should never notice when the drive system temporarily changes. This is achieved by keeping the mechanical processes as synchronized as possible while using the right lubricant. If passengers only notice the racked sections because of their steepness, this means everything is running like a well-oiled machine.
PREVENTING TOOTH (AND COG) DECAY
In simple terms, toothed racks and cog wheels are subject to “tooth decay” in the form of wear. The rack lubricant is designed to prevent wear while also reducing noise under any and all operating conditions. MOTOREX Cograil Oil Plus ISO 320 is based on synthetic esters with specially tuned additives. A high concentration of high-pressure additives free of solid lubricants efficiently minimizes wear. Since this is a lost-lubricant application, high adhesiveness and biodegradability are essential, significantly helping to reduce consumption. The low-temperature stability of Cograil Oil Plus ISO 320 makes it suitable for use in both summer and winter.
UP TO 50 % SAVINGS
The lubricant is sprayed precisely onto the rack during travel through fine compressed-air nozzles, then spread onto the cog wheels during operation. The lubrication process is triggered automatically at preset intervals. “We have been able to cut lubricant consumption by up to 50 % with Cograil Oil Plus,” says Thomas Blatter. A further operating benefit is that the same product can also be used to lubricate the wheel flanges, simplifying logistics. And speaking of logistics, switching to Cograil Oil Plus also solved a residue problem in the storage tanks – much to the delight of shop staff, who are now spared the need to clamber around and clear out clogged pipes.
