Trams and trains rely on infrastructure to function properly and run on the tracks, serving passengers every day. To celebrate Railwaymen’s and Tram Driver’s Day, we explore stations and other locations that provide technical support for rail transport. Many of these facilities have special conditions, and their specific requirements are met by the seamless, resin-based flooring solutions offered by Flowcrete, a leading expert in this technology. Below are examples of some of the most impressive projects of this type in Poland and around the world.
Fast-curing decorative flooring in passenger stations
Passenger service buildings, particularly main station halls and platform passageways, experience heavy foot traffic, with many passengers carrying wheeled suitcases. To remain durable, the flooring in these areas should have high mechanical strength, particularly in terms of abrasion and impact resistance. Seamless resin flooring systems are an option worth considering, as their surface divisions are kept to a minimum, while any joints are particularly susceptible to dirt accumulation and damage.
The Peran STB epoxy-quartz system, originally developed for the industry, is also used in public buildings due to its aesthetic qualities. It is therefore ideal for this type of application. These floors are made from coloured quartz sand and clear epoxy resin. They have the highest AR0.5 abrasion resistance rating in accordance with PN-EN 13892-4, and the multi-coloured sand content allows it to be used to graphically separate zones, e.g. for traffic in opposite directions.
When there is little time to replace the flooring — especially at stations that operate almost around the clock — it is recommended to use a fast-curing solution such as Flowfast BC flooring. This type of system was installed at the City of Perth railway station in Australia. The benefits of using this flooring include its ability to withstand foot traffic just a few hours after application, its excellent mechanical resistance, and its ability to retain colour when exposed to UV rays. Additionally, the use of coloured sands in pastel shades of pink, purple and green created an attractive visual effect.
Industrial flooring for train and tram maintenance halls
In large halls where trains or trams are serviced and repaired, resin coatings are used to protect the concrete base from dusting and withstand medium levels of foot traffic. Flooring systems installed in technical support buildings should also be chemically resistant to the substances used to maintain rail vehicles and have a non-slip surface.
Flowcoat SF41 non-slip flooring was used at the Annopol Tram Depot in Warsaw in the Repair Hall and Daily Service Hall, as well as in the inspection channels, washing facilities, and tram interior cleaning station. This thin-layer flooring system, which is made of coloured epoxy resin and quartz sand aggregate, is approximately 2 mm thick. It is intended for use in industrial premises with heavy foot traffic, among other places. The technology used to produce this flooring allows the level of slip resistance to be adjusted to meet specific requirements.
Antistatic flooring (ESD) in repair workshops
Technical facilities used for rail transport, such as server rooms, workshops (e.g. carpentry and upholstery) and paint shops, as well as rooms used for storing paint and varnish, require antistatic flooring due to the use of electrical equipment and the storage or spillage of flammable substances.
An example of a suitable flooring solution for this type of zone is the Flowfresh ESD SR UV system. Based on polyurethane resins, it contains carefully selected aggregates, cements and fillers. It is used in selected rooms at the Annopol Tram Depot. This flooring meets the requirements of EN IEC 61340-4-1 and EN IEC 61340-4-5 with regard to dissipating charges from the floor surface to the ground. Thanks to its high abrasion resistance, it is also suitable for areas exposed to heavy mechanical loads.
Seamless resin flooring is widely used in rail transport infrastructure buildings, for both passenger services and technical facilities. When selecting and preparing flooring specifications for this type of application, it is advisable to seek the support of experts in this technology, who will propose the optimal solution based on their knowledge and experience.
