Trelleborg nets rail suspension order on Crossrail

London – Trelleborg’s industrial anti-vibration solutions operation is to supply rail suspension solutions for the massive Crossrail cross-London rail project and its new fleet of trains.

Under the deal, the Swedish group will provide a complete suite of primary and secondary suspension solutions for rail manufacturer Bombardier Transportation’s new Class 345 trains.

Trelleborg linked the award, in part, to its patented DragonCoat fire retardant coating, which can which reduces flammability and delays smoke, toxic emissions and the onset of flames.

The coating is being specified for components, including primary conical springs and air spring systems.

“Since the recent introduction of fire safety standard EN 45545, rubber-based products specified for use on new trains have come under heavy scrutiny,” said Naveen Chandra, Global Lead Buyer for Bombardier Transportation.

“With passenger safety of paramount importance to us, we have taken careful consideration to find products that lower fire concerns, and Trelleborg has one of the possible solutions,” added Chandra.

Trelleborg claims its DragonCoat flexible coating reduces the risk of passenger exposure to fire by increasing evacuation time by up to three minutes, providing optimum fire safety assurance.

Trelleborg’s Metalastik-type air spring systems is said to combine large horizontal displacements and low frequency ride characteristics for all conditions.

“The Metacone spring is a compact suspension unit. The rubber is loaded in combined shear and compression and offers optimum load deflection properties,” the company said.

The design, it added, deliver long service life, reduced maintenance, increased passenger comfort and reliability.

Designed for energy efficiency, the trains will operate on the new high frequency, high capacity Crossrail line across London.

Once complete, the Transport for London-run Crossrail route will serve 40 stations from Reading and Heathrow Airport in the west, to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

Crossrail’s first services through central London are expected to commence in late 2018 and when fully operational in 2019, it will increase the capacity of central London's rail-based transport by 10%.