News Releases

MPL Technology provides flange lube system to BNSF road locomotive fleet.
Seattle, WA, October 20, 2003

MPL Technology, announced today that Burlington Northern Santa Fe has equipped its 4,000th road locomotive with the Solidstick™ wheel flange and rail lubricating system. The solid lubrication system was developed over ten years by MPL Technology, Inc. of Seattle. Fuel savings are being realized with the system on BNSF and several short lines.

B.J. Ryan, AVP, CMO - south, BNSF, said “After abandoning a spray lube system that turned out to be expensive and nearly impossible to maintain we put MPL's system through rigorous testing & analysis and eventually applied this product to our locomotive fleet. We have found it to be more cost effective and much easier to maintain.”

Michael Mitrovich, MPL president, said, “MPL Solidstick is a practical, cost-effective improvement to traditional lubrication methods with significant reductions in maintenance and operating costs.”

Solidstick is a patented extreme pressure solid polymer stick that rubs against the flange of locomotive wheels providing lubrication at the precise point where it's needed to reduce friction in the train on curves and from truck hunting action on tangent track. Development of the lube system included testing at the Transportation Technology Center, Pueblo, CO and operation on short line railroads.

The lubricant is installed on each locomotive at nominal cost with a rapid return on investment. The Solidstick applicator, also patented, is bolted onto existing brackets on the locomotive truck assembly. The polymer stick (the only moving part) is properly aligned and a spring applies enough pressure to apply lubricant to the throat of the flange as the train is underway, transferring the lubricant throughout the train.

“We found several benefits with Solidstick when operating in the rail environment,” Mitrovich added. “Most important is the dramatic fuel savings an ore-hauling short line enjoys, which averaged nearly 12%. Now I realize those kinds of savings may not happen on a longer, class one system, however the fuel savings are there. Additionally our system is operational over 99% of the time. Savings include significant reduction in flange wear and wheel truing requirements, increased rail life, and reduced reliance on trackside lubricators.”

MPL Technology, founded in 1991, markets solid polymer lubricants to railroads as an alternative to flange spray and grease lubricants. It is also used in industrial applications. Michael Mitrovich introduced solid polymer lubricants to the heavy haul and transit industries in 1986.

Solidstick™ is a simple, patented rail lubrication system that permanently mounts to the locomotive truck in 30 minutes and the sticks take only 60 seconds to replace trackside. The lubricating stick is shown rubbing against the locomotive wheel flange throat in the photo above at right.

Editors note: Photos can be obtained from Bruce Harmon at bruce.m.harmon@comcast.net