SDS Request

Switchplate Lubricant Reduces Maintenence Costs In Monsoon Season For Maha Mumbai Metro

Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra state, Southwestern India. It is the country’s financial and commercial centre and its principal port on the Arabian Sea. The climate is warm and humid with monthly temperatures varying from 91 °F (33 °C) in May to 67 °F (19 °C) in January. The rainy season lasts from June to September, with the average rainfall level in Mumbai receiving 2318.8 mm of rain.

Our partner in Mumbai operates a rapid transit (MRT) system serving the city of Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region in Maharashtra, India. Mumbai’s metro is the 6th longest operational metro network in India with operational length of 46.km (28.8 miles) as of January 2023.

The Problem

Frequent use of switch plates resulting in wear and tear caused by the mechanical movement, means switch plates need specialist lubrication. There are a total of 58 switch machines operating at a frequency of up to 344 times a day. With a total of 10 switch plates per rail (left) and 10 switch plates per rail (right) on the track, 80 grams of lubricant per switch being used every 3rd day, the lubrication routine was extremely time consuming and manual, using a paint brush for application.

Based on the study carried out on Line 1, when using the previous lubricant during monsoon season, the switch rail would continually become stuck as the lubricant was washed away with any residue being degraded by the heat, and contaminants leaving a hard and sticky film.

The Solution

RS Clares switchplate lubricant resists water washout and heat degradation keeping any containmants away from the moving surfaces. This has helped extend the time intervals between lubrication from 3 to 15 days. This success from Line 1 has since been replicated on the newly commissioned lines (2 and 7). RS Clare’s switchplate lubricant has also helped our partner to avoid train signalling faults and breakdowns and saving money by enhancing productivity amongst the workforce.

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A light blue modern tram travels on an elevated track equipped with onboard rail lubricants above a road with sparse traffic. Surrounding the tram track are tall residential buildings and green spaces under a clear blue sky.

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