Roller Coaster Grease?

[Hyde]

Roller coasters are by technical definitions very precise machines that often involve a lot of moving metal. Proper lubrication is imaginatively needed to keep parts from wearing out - does anyone have any background knowledge to steps parks take for proper upkeep?

Doing some quick research, I ran across Track Lube Plus, a company that has been around since 2003 and reportedly services 50 amusement parks worldwide. http://www.tracklubeplus.com/

Track Lube Plus is a non-toxic, biodegradable lubricant, that has been developed for the
amusement rides industry. Track Lube Plus™ was originally developed by a ride maintenance
supervisor at Hershey Park to reduce wheel cover wear on roller coasters. It has been
developed from a lubricant that is used in the food processing, marine and firearms industries.
In addition to reducing wheel cover wear significantly, the reduction in friction has enabled
better ride timings to be achieved with cold trains, especially in the Spring and Autumn. The
standard product comes in a paste form and, as it does not drip even in ambient temperatures
of 40ºC.

Track Lube Plus is an alternate to silicone and petroleum based greases. It was introduced
into the US market in 2003 and is now being used by more than 50 parks world-wide.
Track Lube Plus is supplied and remains in paste form and does not drip. Should the
lubricant get on guest's clothes, it can easily be removed by washing – avoiding rust stains
from dripping rain water on suspended coasters has eliminated claims.

In addition to its lubricating properties, Track Lube Plus has reduced the propensity for guide
and upstop wheels to develop flat spots, as friction between the wheel covers and the rail
pipes is reduced. As with the silicone greases, the lubricant must be kept away from brakes
and brake fins. Track Lube Plus has also reduced corrosion on the rail pipes, especially for
those rides that do not operate year round. For rides that tend to run fast in the summer, the
frequency of lubricant application can be reduced in the summer. Track Lube Plus has also
been shown to have beneficial effects on coasters that run slowly in spring and autumn.
For a normal coaster, with about 700 metres of track, 2 gallons of Track Lube Plus would be
used in the first month and then 1 gallon per month thereafter. Track Lube Plus is normally
applied by hand to the wheel covers and it can also be applied to accessible sections of the
track such as in brake zones. The wheels then spread the lubricant throughout the track.
In one problem coaster, where guide wheels were being replaced twice a year,

http://www.maurer-rides.com/files/amuse ... Plus_e.pdf

I also ran across Dow Corning, which supposedly provides industrial grease for the amusement park industry: http://www.dowcorning.com/content/webab ... 10-962.asp

Anyone else know of any further info?

 

[mad mouse]

off the rollercoaster grease and onto flat ride grease. but I went on a ride today that was so smothered in grease in certain spots that it had started to look like horrible old chip fat or something. all in big sloppy looking balls in certain nooks and crannies of the ride.