All Seasons Curved Rail Grease
In climates that experience large temperature fluctuations between seasons, traditionally two different gauge face greases are used; a winter grade and a summer grade.
High performance curved rail grease
In winter, curved rail greases need to be thinner and softer (lower viscosity and NLGI grade) so they can be pumped easily and don’t block lubricators in cold weather. Summer greases are thicker and firmer (higher NLGI grade and viscosity) so they form a solid bead on the grease delivery unit (GDU), reduce fling-off, and last longer in hot conditions. Each type is made for its own temperature range.
However, using different greases for different seasons adds complexity, higher maintenance with cleaning and admin costs, and a risk of using the wrong grade. Sudden changes in weather also cause problems, for example, a cold spell in spring can make summer grease too thick to pump, while a warm autumn can leave winter grease too soft to stay on the rail.
To solve this, RS Clare developed EcoCurve all seasons curved rail greases. These use advanced thickeners and base oils that stay stable across all temperatures, so networks can use just one grease year-round. This removes the hassle, cost, and risk of switching products.
EcoCurve greases also carry the European Ecolabel, showing they are biodegradable, non-toxic, and non-bioaccumulative, essential for this total loss application.
EcoCurve range of all season curved rail lubricants
ClareShield EcoCurve Trackside
ClareShield EcoCurve Trackside is an environmentally friendly all-seasons curved rail lubricant appropriate for use in all types of trackside lubricators, delivering consistently high-performance across an operating temperature range of -40°C to 120°C. Designed to protect the gauge corner, ClareShield EcoCurve Trackside is also suitable for all seasons rail lubrication of switchblades and check rails.
ClareShield EcoCurve High Mobility
ClareShield EcoCurve High Mobility is a unique and innovative, all seasons curved rail lubrication designed specifically to provide increased pumpability in trackside applications where there are greater distances between lubricators and grease dispensing units (GDU) than typically encountered, like narrow tunnels or bridges, supported by a temperature stable operating range of -40°C to 80°C.
ClareShield EcoCurve Onboard
ClareShield EcoCurve Onboard is a high performance, innovative, all-seasons gauge face lubrication solution designed for application via on-board wheel flange lubricators / ‘spray equipment’. Formulated to meet the unique challenges of onboard application and ensure optimal, consistent protection at the wheel/rail interface in operating temperatures ranging from -25°C to 80°C.
ClareShield EcoCurve Onboard 00 M
An optimised and high performance trainborne all seasons rail lubrication solution for metro and commuter rail networks. ClareShield EcoCurve Onboard 00 M wheel flange lubricant is an NLGI 00 rail lubricant that includes solid additives for an additional layer of wear protection and extreme pressure performance in all-seasons.
Features and benefits
- Reliable all-season performance removes the need for seasonal grease grades to reduce maintenance time and costs
- Consistent, effective performance across a range of operating temperatures for EcoCurve all seasons rail lubrication products, ranging from -40°C to 120°C
- Formulated to be oxidation stable to ensure the greases do not dry out or stiffen to block lubricators or grease dispensing unit (GDU) ports in trackside applications
- Water resistant to give lasting rail protection in all seasons and weather conditions, including heavy rain
- High load protection with EP properties to minimise rail wear in heavy traffic rail networks in all climates and seasons
- Highly adhesive grease technology enhances carry down performance and corrosion inhibitors offer improved continuous rail protection all year round
5 things you need to know about environmentally acceptable rail greases
Read our green grease guide to find out more about how environmental performance is defined and measured for rail greases, and understand the importance of environmentally acceptable lubricants for track lubrication.
Technical product information
| Product | Description | Delivery Method | Download TDS |
|---|---|---|---|
ClareShield EcoCurve Trackside | For use in trackside curved rail lubricators, wherever there is a requirement for high performance and environmentally sensitive products. NLGI grade 1.5 | Trackside | |
ClareShield EcoCurve | For use in trackside curved rail lubricators, wherever there is a requirement for high performance and environmentally sensitive products. NLGI grade 1 | Trackside | |
ClareShield EcoCurve | For use in centralised distribution trackside lubricators. All the technical and environmental performance of ClareShield EcoCurve Trackside, but designed to provide pumpability through narrow bores and long pipe runs whilst still forming a firm grease bead at the GDU. | Trackside | |
ClareShield EcoCurve | For use in on-board spray equipment wherever there is a requirement for high performance and environmentally sensitive products. Particularly suited to sensitive and high visibility urban sites | Onboard | |
ClareShield EcoCurve | An NLGI 00 lubricant for metro and commuter rail. For use in on-board spray equipment wherever there is a requirement for environmentally sensitive products with additional wear protection and high performance capabilities. | Onboard |
Complex viscosity vs. temperature for all seasons curved rail grease
ClareShield EcoCurve Heavy Haul curved rail lubricant is a premium quality, high-performance grease specially formulated for the heavy rail traffic of Class 1 railroads and freight rail networks.
The Rheology profile below compares the complex viscosity against temperature for ClareShield EcoCurve Heavy Haul (blue) and a more conventional rail grease (red). The flatter profile of the blue curve shows that the all-seasons EcoCurve Heavy Haul grease is much more stable across a wide temperature range, meaning this all-seasons rail lubrication
will pump more consistently, not cavitate in the reservoir and it will form more a consistent bead structure on the GDU (Grease Delivery Unit).
You can see that the conventional rail grease (red) is more viscous at temperatures below 0°C but then quickly softens as the temperature reaches 20°C and beyond, meaning it could be difficult to pump in the winter and perhaps too soft to form good bead structures in the summer, resulting in inconsistent performance across the changing seasons.
Case Study
A major city transit in the Mid-West were experiencing problems with rain washing the grease off the track, leaving the rail without lubrication. This led to significant rail squeal issues when the trains navigated a particular curve, garnering noise complaints due to the location of the track and level of noise.Their preference is to only have engineers on track for essential maintenance works and as an interim solution their lubrication team were having to manually apply lubricant on track as a back-up measure, and this was not a viable solution.That’s where our rail lubricants came in to help.
Meeting the highest eco standards
Engineered to EU Ecolabel standards, our unique technology EcoCurve range offers unrivalled environmental performance.
Download our rail friction management solutions brochure
Explore our full range of high-performance rail lubricants in our Rail lubrication brochure.
Our range of Rail friction management solutions includes Ecolabel accredited curved rail grease, top of rail friction control materials, gauge face greases, lubricants for infrastructure and application equipment.
