Railway
Rail applications balance corrosion life against weight and cost across a thirty-year vehicle life. Coach bodies and interiors use austenitic and 200 series grades where the environment is benign, while underframe and exterior components exposed to de-icing salts require molybdenum-bearing grades.
What gets specified in railway
Ordered by how commonly they are called for in this sector.
- UNS S30400 / S30403304 / 304LPREN 19
The default austenitic stainless. 18% chromium, 8% nickel, no molybdenum.
- UNS S31600 / S31603316 / 316LPREN 25
304 plus 2–3% molybdenum. The standard answer to chlorides and mild acids.
- UNS S20100 / S20200200 SeriesPREN 16
Manganese and nitrogen substitute for nickel. A cost-driven austenitic family.
- UNS S40900 / S41000 / S43000400 SeriesPREN 17
Ferritic and martensitic chromium grades. Magnetic, nickel-free, hardenable.
Applications
05- Coach body panels and structures
- Interior fittings and panelling
- Handrails and grab poles
- Underframe components
- Brake and coupling hardware
Governing standards
03- EN 10088-2
- ASTM A240
- EN 45545
Verification available
10- Spectrometer
- Chemical Testing Laboratory
- Positive Material Identification (PMI)
- Spectro Test
- Tensile Testing Machine
- Hardness Testing Machine
- Portable Hardness Tester
- Flattening Test
- Reverse-Bend Test
- Hydrostatic Test Machine
What railway buys
Other industries
Supplying into railway?
Send the specification and service conditions. We will confirm the grade, the availability and the documentation you will need.