An Indian rail coach manufacturer has tied up with Saudi Arabia's petrochemicals giant SABIC to develop new passenger-friendly and durable modular seating for Mumbai's heavily-utilised railway system.
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC's) LEXAN resin will be used by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) to produce seating for what is perhaps the most intensively used suburban rail system in the world, with added benefits of enhanced passenger comfort, easier maintenance and end-of-life recyclability.
With the necessary support, ICF have designed a seating system using injection-molded polycarbonate that will replace the conventional single thermoformed seats for the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC).
"Beyond supplying the LEXAN resin, SABIC was pleased to work collaboratively with ICF on a seating system that responds to rail industry trends toward greater sustainability and an increased focus on the passenger experience," Kim Choate, Director of Mass Transportation for SABIC's Innovative Plastics business, said.
"The rail ministry and passenger responses to the new seats clearly signal a win. In addition, ICF now has a new solution to offer to its customers," he added.
The fresh designs using resin have performed exceptionally well under the intense crowds and heavy passenger loads in the rush hours during trials. The seats maintained their colour and gloss despite exposure to strong sunlight, heat and chemicals, he said.
The new three-seat design is easy to maintain, resistant to weathering and vandalism.
The resin, which exhibits high flow, enables the seating to be manufactured using a more efficient injection-molding.
The material can also be recycled at the end of its life, unlike the present thermoset seats which cannot be recycled.
Integral Coach Factory's design group also worked closely with the Innovative Plastics business' Global Application Technology team to design the new seat system.
