Possibilities of extension of gear oil service life in rail vehicles

The study deals with the results of operational tests of gear oils used in a regional railway transport system. The character of the aging process and the impact of gear oil operation on the main factors determining further usability of gear oil have been defined on the basis of the results of carried out tests. It was proved that transport systems lack reliable convenient diagnostic methods for gear oil used during the process of operation. One of the criteria taken into consideration in decision-making is the period of oil change imposed by the gear manufacturer. The long process of oil application is accompanied by physicochemical changes, which cause degradation of its properties. This phenomenon is referred to as oil aging. This fact can cause loss of viscosity, increase in the amount of pollution, and in effect a decrease in the ability to provide a durable boundary film. The lubricating ability of oil decreases as well. An increase in the amount of pollution is caused by interaction of the collaborating friction elements and by pollutants coming from the gear environment. These changes are of permanent character and reflect the state of new characteristics referred to as operational characteristics. Gear oils have a certain lubricating ability, which is a critical parameter. This study is an attempt to find a way of the oil service life extension and convince the propulsion systems manufacturers that reduction of costs connected with rail vehicle maintenance does make sense.