Application Area 12: Rail traffic
Core adopted: PC Super Wear-Resistant Sheets, PC Flame-Retardant Sheets. With characteristics of safety, lightweight, durability and flexible design, it is gradually replacing traditional glass and metal materials, mainly used for windows, interiors (luggage racks/wall panels) and protective structures of subways/high-speed railways.
Polycarbonate in rail transit: fire safety, vandal resistance and weight
Rail polycarbonate is specified against a demanding trio — rail fire-safety standards, vandal and impact resistance for public spaces, and weight reduction for rolling stock — with fire performance usually the gating requirement. Trains and stations are crowded public environments where glazing must resist abuse and, above all, behave safely in a fire.
Fire safety is the gating standard
Rail vehicle interiors are governed by strict fire, smoke and toxicity (FST) standards — in Europe the EN 45545-2 hazard-level classification. Polycarbonate used in rail interiors must meet the applicable hazard level for reaction to fire, smoke density and toxic-gas emission. This is the requirement that most often decides whether a given grade can be used at all, so it is the first thing to confirm, not the last.
Vandal and impact resistance in public spaces
Station glazing, partition screens and window panels face graffiti, scratching and impact. Polycarbonate resists breakage that would shatter glass, and a sacrificial anti-graffiti or hard coat lets surfaces be cleaned repeatedly without permanent damage — reducing replacement cost over the life of the installation.
Weight reduction for rolling stock
As with all vehicles, weight is energy. Replacing glass glazing and heavy panels with polycarbonate lowers the mass of each carriage, cutting traction energy and wear over millions of kilometres. Interior partitions, window glazing and panelling use PC for this reason alongside its safety benefits.
Typical parts and what to confirm
- Interior partition and window glazing
- Station and platform screens
- Panelling and interior components
- Confirm: applicable fire standard (e.g. EN 45545-2 hazard level), anti-graffiti/coating need, and impact requirement
Tell us the part and the fire standard your project must meet — the fire class usually determines the grade, so we start there and specify coating and thickness around it.