Railroad rail lubricating apparatus

A wiper bar installation for lubricating the head of a rail of a railroad track, said rail comprising a flange, a web extending up from the flange and a head on the web having downwardly facing surface portions on opposite sides of the web, side surfaces extending up from said downwardly facing surface portions, one of said side surfaces constituting the gage face of the rail, curved surfaces extending from, said side surfaces to the top surface of the head, the curved surface extending from the gage face around to the top surface constituting the gage face radius, said installation comprising a wiper bar comprising an elongate manifold having inside and outside faces and upper and lower elongate edge margins extending lengthwise of the manifold, said manifold being mounted on the rail extending lengthwise of the rail alongside the web of the rail with its upper edge margin adjacent the lower edge of the gage face, said manifold having a plurality of lubricant outlets spaced at intervals along its length for discharge of lubricant at said intervals and being passaged for flow of lubricant to said outlets, and an elongate guide extending up above the manifold for confronting the gage face of the head of a rail and guiding lubricant discharged from the outlets up between said guide and gage face, the guide being formed of a flexible and resilient material such that the guide is resistant to damage due to engagement by wheels of railroad vehicles and such that the guide inhibits wear upon said wheels, said guide extending upwardly from an elongate base secured on the outside face of the manifold, and a trough on the outside of the guide for catching excess lubricant, the trough induding a bottom, a wall extending up from the bottom and securing the base against the outside face of the manifold, and a downwardly extending flange configured for securement to the manifold.