When choosing flooring for rolling stock of any type of service, we know that the product has to meet a number of specifications.
Fire and toxicity compliance, good visual design, durability and ease of cleaning are all imperative, but perhaps the factor with the most impact on the project is the weight of the floor.
With the gradual phasing out of diesel-powered locomotives, the weight of our rolling stock becomes a greater concern as fuel efficiency becomes ever more key. So how much weight, and energy, could you save by choosing a lighter-weight floor?
Taking a British Rail Class 377 twelve-car train set, we’ve done the maths for you. When comparing the weight of Altro Transflor Tungsten, our HL-2 compliant acrylic rail safety floor, with other products on the market if used on this train set, here are the results for British Rail class 377 (12 car):
- Altro Transflor Tungsten: 1,850.688kg
- Rubber alternative: 2,303.0784kg (+452.3904kg)
- Vinyl alternative: 1,953.504kg (+102.816kg)
- Natural material alternative: 1,987.776kg (+137.088kg)
By using an Altro acrylic floor, you could save up to 452kg, around the same weight as a grand piano, against a rubber alternative, or up to 102kg against vinyl alternatives.
None of us wants to carry around more than we have to, extra weight means wasted energy. Of course, there are many variables out of the operator’s control that affect energy efficiency, such as how many stops a route takes if the service is delayed, how many passengers are on board, even down to the topography of the route.
What can be controlled is the weight of the train set itself, and the implications can be massive. How many service miles could you save? How many homes could be powered with the energy you’d save, and how much money would that save you? It could be more than you’d think.
Here at Altro we can suggest the best way to save weight on your rail fleets using our quality product and installation solutions. Take the first step to improving the efficiency of your rolling stock: for detailed information on how much weight and energy you could save, based on your individual set and service, get in contact with us using the enquiry form on this page.