Developments in Composite Materials for the Rail Industry from TRB Lightweight Structures

Developments in Composite Materials for the Rail Industry from TRB Lightweight Structures

For more than six decades, TRB have been using lightweight composite materials to provide innovative solutions. TRB’s lightweight aluminum honeycomb composite sandwich panels and bulkheads were part of the Bluebird World Land Speed record car driven by Donald Campbell in 1964. TRB’s lightweight aluminum honeycomb composite sandwich panel was used to build a monocoque chassis for the1970 World Championship winning Lotus Formula 1 car.

The London Underground District Line trains introduced the first production trains fitted with lightweight aluminum honeycomb composite doors in the United Kingdom in 1978. The Team Antarctic solar vehicle is the most recent example that was made virtually from lightweight composite panels.