Lubricating tram 5572

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Lubricating tram 5572 (mazačka)

5572 is a Czech tram built in 1965 as a Tatra T3, originally numbered 6948. It carried passengers until 1990, then was rebuilt for freight use with a shorter body and a cargo area. A snow plow was added in 2004 to clear the Hlubočepy–Barrandov line.

In 2014, engineers installed a lubrication system to apply a special rail lubricant. After successful tests in January 2015, 5572 began regular rail lubrication runs on 2 February 2015 and has since been based at the Pankrác depot.

The lubrication system uses a product called Head Lub 90 that works in a wide temperature range and is not affected by rain or snow. The tram travels Prague’s tram network, lubricating about 15% of the distance it covers and using around 50 kilograms of lubricant each day. It typically runs about 140 kilometers of tram line daily.

To support lubrication work, a 5,000-liter water tank was added in 2016 to spray damp tracks, along with a back-mounted sprinkler bar. In 2017, dust-particle sensors were installed to monitor air quality around the lines.

5572 has drawn public interest, including a dedicated Facebook group, a song about it, and live TV coverage.

Notes: The tram began life as 6948 in 1965 and was later renumbered 5572. It features a lightweight body frame and a passenger-influenced design from František Kardaus, but now serves a very different role as Prague’s rail-lubricating tram.