High-performance lightweight structures designers, engineers and manufacturers TRB Lightweight Structures is delighted to be part of the team behind rail project Revolution Very Light Rail (VLR), an innovative passenger vehicle designed to simplify extension of existing rail networks and allow the reopening of historical lines.
TRB worked closely with consortium leader transportation solutions provider Transport Design International (TDI) on the vehicle’s composite bodyshell design, creating modular, one-piece structural panels that form both the inner and outer walls.
The design objectives for the Revolution VLR were to engineer a substantially lighter vehicle offering reduced energy consumption, to meet governmental decarbonisation goals, while adhering to rigorous rail industry safety standards. To achieve these aims, TRB developed modular panels composed of moulded carbon fibre laminates with a recycled foam core.
The project also took advantage of a unique polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA) bioresin – a sustainable alternative to phenolic resins derived as a byproduct of sugar cane refining.
Combined with a host of other innovative technologies, this modular construction resulted in the Revolution VLR Demonstrator being 40% lighter than traditional heavy rail vehicles of similar capacity. This means that the single-carriage vehicle can run on reinstated existing lines, or new routes using lighter weight track infrastructure.
“Our lightweight structural modular panels not only contributed substantially to a 16-t reduction in total weight, but were also obtained from a sustainable source. This will significantly contribute to government commitments to decarbonisation in transport,” says TRB Lightweight Structures lead engineer Lyndon Newman.
TDI design director Paul Salkeld adds that the team at TRB worked hard to create a lightweight, modular and standardised shape for the Revolution VLR’s body panels. This not only allows construction of a lighter vehicle, but also assists in the replacement of parts for general maintenance requirements, which is a key consideration for vehicle longevity, given a 30 to 40 year lifespan.