A FIRE HAZARD EVALUATION OF THE INTERIOR OF WMATA METRORAIL CARS

A series of fire tests was conducted for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to assist them in assessing the potential for fire hazard in the new Metrorail subway cars. Results of small-scale laboratory tests were found inadequate for this assessment. Results of full-scale tests on mock-ups of the interior (and on a real car for a smoke penetration test) show that the potential for hazard arises primarily from the seat padding and covering and from the plastic wall lining. The hazard arises both from smoke development and from spread of flame and heat. The times to reach unacceptable conditions has been determined for several test conditions. It is recommended that the authorities review these times in the context of what they consider to be appropriate times for safe escape. Recommendations are made for increasing the amount of time available for escape. These would require changes in the seating and wall lining materials.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Bureau of Standards

  Center for Fire Research
  Washington, DC  United States  20234

  Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

  950 l'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Braun, E
• Publication Date: 1975-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 35 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Escape systems; Fire prevention; Fires; Flammability; Flammability tests; Hazards; Heat transfer; Metropolitan areas; Passenger cars; Plastics; Protection; Rapid transit; Rapid transit cars; Safety; Safety engineering; Seats; Smoke; Testing; Urban transportation; Urethane; Vehicle design
• Identifier Terms: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fire hazards
• Geographic Terms: Maryland; Virginia; Washington (District of Columbia)
• Old TRIS Terms: Chloroprene resins; Escape worthiness; Flammability testing; Passenger car design; Rapid transit railways
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00094690
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: NBSIR-75-971 Final Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 14 1981 12:00AM