Reply to "Electrics and overhead wire maintenance"

@RideTheRails posted:

I recently came across a model of an overhead wire greaser. I’m a long time electric fan but this is a practice that I didn’t know existed. Was “greasing” the wires a common practice or did certain railroad follow this practice?

Thanks

Steve

Born and raised in New Jersey, my dad worked for the PRR, and his dad worked for the PRR; I've NEVER heard of such a process. The PRR electric locomotives had carbon "shoes" in the contact area of the pantographs, so just how would any sort of "grease" assist in the contact of the shoe to the wire?