Marietta, Georgia - Dow Chemical Co. Is to launch a portfolio of proven technologies for North American freight and passenger railway systems at the 2009 AREMA Conference and Exhibition, 20-23 Sept at the Hilton, Chicago (Booth No 513). According to Dow, "high-speed, short-line, metro and freight railways this side of the Atlantic will now have access to Dow's tailor-made polyurethane elastomer systems, which are widely used in Europe's robust rail and tram sectors."
By reinforcing ballast and controlling shock and vibration, Dow said, these technologies help to increase railway service life, improve passenger safety and comfort, and reduce noise pollution.
"Traditional concrete or ballast rail systems are prone to vertical and horizontal shifting, vibrations, corrosion and heaving. This can lead to track misalignment, stray electrical currents, unacceptable noise levels, passenger discomfort and safety concerns," said David Frost, business development leader with Dow. "Dow polyurethane elastomers provide excellent track and ballast stability and noise absorption and are impervious to corrosion and moisture, helping to prolong track life and reduce maintenance and repair costs."
The portfolio of railway solutions developed by Dow and industry partners can be installed either track-side or in the factory, and Dow said these "perform exceptionally well under harsh conditions." These include extreme weight, friction, heat, cold and moisture, and the systems can be tailor-made and custom-fit to suite any type of track, railcar or platform specifications.
Visitors to the Dow booth at AREMA will have the opportunity to speak to the companies' elastomeric rail technology experts and learn more about the full portfolio of products and systems.
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