FIRE SAFETY

British Railways has up to 90 passenger train fires per year resulting from causes such as underfloor diesel engines, vandalism, electrical faults, and sparks from brake shoes. After a fatal fire in a sleeping car in 1978, major changes were made to a new series of such cars to assure greater safety. Fires on rapid transit cars are also discussed. First criterion in fire safety is resistance to ignition where laboratory tests may not give a picture of what happens in a large-scale fire. Fire-load density provides the basis for full-scale tests of ignitability inside an actual vehicle. The mechanics of the fire on a London Transport rapid transit train are discussed. Main risk to life in train fires is not flame but the combustion products which can suffocate by excluding breathable air, poison the passenger with toxic gases, or produce harmful physiological effects. A major source of smoke and harmful gases is the insulation on electric cabling. The low-smoke, zero halogen type insulations have been copied in the case of seat cushions. Third main area of activity in fire prevention is in designing trains to minimize the effects of fire. Should the designer provide for the maximum credible accident or prepare for the ultimate fire?

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00268356
• Corporate Authors:

  Ian Allan Limited

  Terminal House
  Shepperton, Middlesex  England  TW17 8AS
• Publication Date: 1983-11

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 574-575
• Serial:
  • MODERN RAILWAYS
  • Volume: 40
  • Issue Number: 422
  • Publisher: Ian Allan Publishing, Limited
  • ISSN: 0026-8356

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cables; Electric insulating materials; Fire prevention; Fires; Flammability; Insulating materials; Materials science; Passenger cars; Polymers; Rapid transit cars; Safety; Smoke; Toxicity; Vehicle design
• Old TRIS Terms: Passenger car design
• Subject Areas: Design; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00380786
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 29 1984 12:00AM