Lubrication of Tracks, Switches and Signals - 1947

Univis 40 for all the Mechanical Switchmen on your railway!

This interesting book was put together after World War 2 to bridge the gap between railroaders and sellers of petroleum-based lubricants. 

For the railroader: Read this book and understand that we understand YOU and your business - may we suggest these products ...

For the Imperial Oil detailer: You know our products ... here is the vocabulary and knowledge you need for railway customers ...

Today, just in the field of track-to-wheel-flange lubrication, there are many specialty lubricants ... and a selection of computerized internet-monitored devices which can be used to effectively apply them to decrease wear, improve safety and save money. Light rail operations, with their tight city curves naturally constitute an important segment of today's greased-rail market. An interesting featured specialty is glorified cross-tie carpeting near lubrication machines to prevent the lubricants from straying from the roadbed ... if that matters for a particular operation and the 'civilians' who may notice fugitive lubricants on nearby waterways.

However, when I looked for specialty lubricants for locomotives today, I encountered lubricants formulated and sold primarily for diesel-powered highway trucks, construction equipment and oil drilling rigs. 

Of course, those non-rail machines existed in the late 1940s. However, the focus of a Canadian lubricants producer to primarily serve two massive Montreal-based customers must have made a specialized railway marketing document like this desirable. In 1947, the CPR and CNR had massive rosters of steam locomotives which constantly consumed and shed lubricants all over the countryside ... and some new diesels. Their cars generally had eight journals which all contained oil. They also had thousands of miles of bolted track, the joints and switches of which also required the application of lubricants.

April 1963, recently lubricated joints photographed by LC Gagnon.

As always, interesting diagrams are enlarged so you can see the details.

Here is the entire product line of railway lubricants mentioned in this book:

The locomotive lubrication section of this book can be found in Index 04, Railway Technology & Systems (press the 'radio button' at the top of this page) and scroll down to Lubrication. It showed switchers and quaint non-Budd rail diesel cars - but nothing larger.

CNR 1982 Bayview in July

A hot, hazy, humid July day combined the summer smell of warm brakes and creosote with a variety of sightings.

First, a jiggled image foretelling that the road will be quiet ... so we might consider coming back later.
In the foreground, a patrol foreman is probably on the phone for a permit.
A switcher move with a single boxcar is rolling to a stop signal at Hamilton Jct.

Later, we return and find an extra west.
I believe that's a more daring photographer getting a ground-level view on the 'eight foot'.

Through the haze, the freight can be seen approaching Hamilton Yard around the bay.
Notice the position of those CP boxcars at the overpass - for later.

Built in 1957, this unit was off the CN roster by 1991-2.

When the hot weather arrives people risk their lives.
A brief safety seminar is upcoming from the passing caboose.

from: CNR employee timetable, Oct 1967

Here is a map of the area - north is skewed clockwise a bit.
The photographs in this post are from a pedestrian overpass just east of Bayview.
For later reference: notice the CPR and TH&B railways, represented as dashed lines.

from: Atlas of Canada, 1915, Government of Canada

This map shows the 'railway territories' circa 1915.

Using running rights, a CP train rolls through.

This light freight might be engaged in power and van hopping to the west ...

You can see the power turning under the arched bridge at the left edge of the photo.
The train is probably heading for Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo rails and then probably south-east toward Buffalo

Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo Railway Company; employee Timetable 93, Oct 27, 1973. Collection of LCGagnon.

From a 1973 employee timetable, I think you can see the cutoff track leading to the TH&B line north of 'Hamilton'.

The main line of the TH&B leading to Buffalo is shown below, along with passenger and freight trains.

Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo Railway Company; employee Timetable 93, Oct 27, 1973. Collection of LCGagnon.

Above: The train order signal special instruction only explains a simple off/on red light train order signal.

*  *  *

Below: Non-verbal signals - used when voice commands can't be heard, or communicated by radio (eg. for aircraft carrier decks, large cranes, farms, construction equipment, railways) - are often interesting to understand and/or preserve. 

Back in 1973, portable radios were probably not issued to all employees who might be involved with performing either terminal pull-by or running inspections.

Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo Railway Company; employee Timetable 93, Oct 27, 1973. Collection of LCGagnon.