Our DOD specifications for track constructiona and repair has a requirement to lubricate the contract points between the joint bars and the rail before they are assembled. Everytime I point that out to a rail contractor though, they look at me like I'm insane. :-) (Maybe they know something?)

For almost all requirements in our specifications, I can trace their lineage back to AREMA/AREA manuals, but I can't seem to find this one, at least in any of the current documents.

Has anyone else ever heard of this and if so, can you provide me a reference?

Greg

Yes, it was common practice for many years. It helps keep joints from becoming "frozen", and it was also necessary in the days of ice bunker reefers. The salt brine drippings from the meat cars did a real number on steel bridges and track fastenings. Many railroads had special "oil trains" that went out yearly and sprayed joints. This can be occasionally seen in 1930s-40s photos, where the joint bars are a distinct dark shade, almost black, compared to the rest of the rail and roadbed.

I have a PRR book "Specifications For Construction and Maintenance of Track" form C.E. 78, dated 1966. It shows and details the greasing of rail joints. Too wordy to retype here, but it calls for grease to be brushed on in the web and fishing areas before the bars are applied, and any time a joint is opened up.

Make sure to do the bolt threads also.

There are a lot of things that track contractors will do or won't do, and one has to be diligent in inspection and especially in writing the scope of work and specifications for the work. We had an outfit that did not reapply rail anchors that were removed in the course of spot tie replacement, because "it wasn't in the specs". It certainly was proper practice to put 'em back on.

If you have good, clear specs for your work, stick to them and hold the contractor to them.

Here is a car designed to oil the joints in the rails as used by the Norfolk & Western during the 30's from what the caption on the image said. Notice the oil piping around the lower end of the car used for this purpose.


Image is property of Virginia Tech's Special Collections

A product called "No Oxid" (cq) packaged in 5-gallon pails was specially formulated for use on rail joints. When I was working for Ed Blossom at the Magee Museum in Bloomsburg, Pa. in the mid-1960s, he insisted on liberally applying the material to all joints as they were being assembled. We used a heavy brush similar to the kind used to apply wallpaper paste, but it was still very messy. When a contractor was hired to build the main part of the track at Bloomsburg, Ed became almost apoplectic because the contractor's men refused to use No Oxid. At one point, he wanted me to take all the joints apart and grease 'em up, but due to the rail bonds welded in place, this proved nearly impossible.

No-Ox-Id was also used extensively on steel bridges during the steam era, to combat the corrosion related to ice bunker reefers.

Seems the stuff is still available:

http://www.sanchem.com/ox.html