How Plastics Improve Safety and Efficiency in Rail Travel

Where Plastic is Used in Mass Transit Rail Systems

Plastic is quickly overtaking the mass transit rail manufacturing process. Many plastic materials' durability and lightweight nature allow manufacturers to make reliable trains and train cars with greater speed and fuel efficiency.

The next time you get on a transit train, whether on a subway or a high-speed train, look around and see where you can find plastics. In addition to the ones inside your train car, you will interact with plastics through the lighting covers, rail covers, and other items in the train station and on the tracks. So where is plastic used in mass transit rail systems, and what types of plastics work best?

Here is a closer look at these questions and their answers.

What Parts of a Passenger Train Are Plastic?

In decades past, trains were large, cumbersome metal objects that slowly but steadily moved people and products across the country. Today passenger trains are more about comfort and speed, helping get people quickly from point A to point B. As a result, manufacturers are increasingly turning to durable plastics to optimize speed and energy use.

In a passenger train, you will find plastics throughout the train. On the exterior, these components commonly come from plastic:

• Roof panels and cladding

• Side skirts

• External and portal cladding

• Apron flaps

• Paneling

Inside the train, expect to find plastics anywhere possible to reduce the weight of the train, including:

• Walls

• Ceiling panels

• Storage cabinets and bins

• Partitions and windows

• Door pillars and mechanism covers

• Ceilings

• Floor plates

• Air ducts and HVAC

• Seat shells

• Window pillar cladding

Many technical parts are also made from plastic, including:

• Cable clamps

• Holders and spacers

• Guide rails

• Housings and housing covers

• Controllers and other operating elements

• Insulating covers and components

Finally, you will find plastics on the rail infrastructure and the train itself. Look for plastic in:

• Conductor rail supports

• Insulators

• Spacer plates

• Cable ducts

• Signal and rail covers

Because of these many different applications, multiple plastic types are used in the mass transit rail industry.

Common Plastics Used in Mass Transit Rail Applications

Multiple plastics are used to create trains, and rail systems, from the clear Plexiglas used in windshields to the rigid, impact-resistant ABS and HDPE used to make walls and storage bins. Some common options include:

Consult with Piedmont Plastics for Mass Transit Rail System Plastics

There are more plastics that work for the mass transit rail system than just the ones mentioned here. To see the full scope of options available options, discuss your project with one of the plastics experts at Piedmont Plastics.