The History of Neleco and Super-Lube
About 15 or so years ago, San Diego Trolley engaged our president and chief chemist, Paul E.R. DiBenedetti, to help them solve a serious and persistent noise problem that they were having on their rail system.
Paul traveled to San Diego to observe the problem and discuss the Trolley’s attempts to solve the noise issue. SD Trolley had already spent substantial money on various attempts to solve the noise problem, including the testing of many rail lubricants that were commercially available. All attempts had failed to perform the necessary noise suppression.
After considerable discussion, numerous site observations, testing and lab work, a recommendation was made to test a relatively new, patented PTFE-based lubricant (PTFE is commonly referred to as "Teflon") that Synco Chemical Corporation had invented.
A sample of standard commercial rail "Curve Grease" that we bench tested for suitability, was given to Synco, the PTFE Lubricant inventor. Neleco collaborated with Synco to develop a "Curve"-type grease based on Synco’s unique, patented technology. Neleco, in collaboration with Synco, developed a material that could potentially eliminate the noise problem. Shortly thereafter, Neleco researchers returned to San Diego to begin testing and evaluation. Immediate results looked promising. After a few days of extended testing, results indicated that not only was Neleco’s new product able to reduce, and in most instances eliminate, rail noise, but the product also had the ability to track substantial distances, unlike other commonly used rail greases. After additional testing to confirm our earlier observations and further laboratory work, we concluded that we had discovered a very effective and efficient "Noise Suppression" Rail Lubricant.
Shortly after the testing period, SD Trolley adopted the Neleco Super-Lube Rail Lubricant system for the entire railroad system. Neleco Incorporated has been their sole rail lubricant supplier for the past 15 years.
Soon after the Neleco Super-Lube system was successfully installed at SD Trolley, Portland Tri-Met Rail (Tri-Met) heard about SD Trolley’s success and sent several engineers to SD Trolley to observe the development. At that time, Tri-Met had also invested an enormous amount of time and a small fortune on various "Noise Suppression" systems, such as sound barrier walls, various commercially available lubricants, water sprays, wheel and rail noise dampening devices, on board wheel lubrication, and several other methods. All had failed. After observing the success SD Trolley had seen with the Neleco Super-Lube Rail Lubricant "Noise Suppression" System, they too adopted the system for their entire rail system. Tri-Met has been a regular customer ever since.
To read technical and first hand accounts of the success of this system, written by track supervisors and engineers,
go here.
Over the years, rail systems throughout North America experiencing similar types of rail noise issues have found great success with Neleco Super-Lube Rail Lubricant "Noise Suppression" System. This story has been repeated at many other transit agencies since. Some of our many customers are Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority, New Jersey Transit and Toronto Transit Commission.
After a period of time, using Neleco Super-Lube Rail Lubricant Noise Suppression System, San Diego Trolley observed that in addition to essentially eliminating the rail nose issues they had previously experienced, they also observed a noticeable reduction in rail and wheel wear*. Not only had the Neleco Super-Lube Rail Lubricant Noise Suppression System eliminated the rail the noise problem, but it had also achieved the very important economic advantage of reduced rail and wheel wear. Furthermore, SD Trolley reported that the well lubricated rails also had a huge safety advantage: reduction of Low Speed Derailments. Soon, it became very evident that the use of Neleco Super-Lube Rail Lubricant Noise Suppression System had enormous rail noise, safety, and economic advantages.
An anecdotal story from Paul: “Many years ago in one of my Tribology Courses at MIT, the professor opened his first lecture on a Monday morning with the following statement: ‘The most important thing that you should remember about friction, wear, and lubrication is: if you shut down the noise, you will shut down the wear’. That statement turned out to be a prophetic pronouncement that I have never forgotten. I see that phenomenon working everyday of the week on railroads that use Neleco Super-Lube Rail Lubricant. When I observe an LRV, navigating a tight radius of track, at Toronto Transit or San Diego Trolley, or any of the systems using our lubricant, and there is no wheel squeal or grinding noise occurring, I think of that Monday morning at MIT in Cambridge, MA, when I first learned how to stop noise, wear, and reduce friction.”
To effectively stop noise, wear, and reduce friction, you must use the proper lubricant: one that has affinity for the metal surfaces and one that adheres to, and tracks, on those surfaces. This is best described as a lubricant having the proper Adhesive/Cohesive balance, in conjunction with the necessary Rheological properties. Neleco Super-Lube Rail Lubricant is the FIRST and ONLY rail lubricant for that scenario and is tried and tested across numerous rail systems.
Neleco is the world wide exclusive distributor for Synco Super-Lube Rail Lubricant
Synco Chemical Corporation holds several U. S. and Worldwide patents on this PTFE (Teflon) based lubricant.
* Rail Wear is measured annually by San Diego Trolley.
* Wheel wear is monitored by the San Diego Trolley wheel shop.