Connection and Protection for Critical Railway Infrastructure and Systems

nVent provides solutions that connect and protect critical railway infrastructure and systems, improving safety and reliability throughout the network. We offer innovative, high-quality products for critical electrical and electronic systems throughout the railway network. Through our powerful portfolio of brands that include nVent ERICO, ERIFLEX, HOFFMAN, RAYCHEM and SCHROFF, we provide electrical connection solutions for trackside and on-board applications, surge and lightning protection, trackside heating solutions, and enclosures for trackside signalling and on-board systems. Our portfolio of industry-leading products is designed to meet international railway standards. With a manufacturing and sales presence in every key rail market, we serve a global base of customers that includes railways, system integrators, rolling stock manufacturers and major rail equipment OEMs.

Electrical Connection Solutions

nVent ERICO is the global leader in cable-to-rail connections for track signal, power and grounding applications. We have been serving railways with niche electrical connection solutions for over one hundred years, and are responsible for many industry-standard products including Cadweld, which has been the primary method for making exothermic cable/rail welds since its introduction in 1938.

Through our nVent ERIFLEX product line, we provide critical solutions for low-voltage power distribution, power conduction, and grounding required in trackside and on-board electrical panels. This innovative product line includes flexible busbars, distribution and power blocks, metallic braids, and cabling sleeves characterised by proprietary material composition that contribute to a safer, more reliable on-board and trackside electrical systems. In addition, nVent ERIFLEX products meet key rail industry standards, such as EN 45545-2, the European standard fire-performance requirement for materials and products used on-board railway vehicles.

Railway Surge & Lightning Protection

Damage as a result of surge and lightning events can cause major disruptions to railway signalling and power systems, which is why networks throughout the world turn to nVent ERICO to protect critical systems and equipment. We offer a full line of wayside surge protection devices that protect railway signalling, data, and power equipment against surges and voltage transients. nVent ERICO is also a global leader in direct-strike lightning protection, with solutions like System 3000, a custom combination of air terminal conductors, down-conductors, and grounding system used to protect rail yards and other large open spaces in the network.

Trackside Heating Systems

Snow and ice build-up on tracks and overhead wires poses a major safety risk and can cause serious disruptions to service. nVent helps railways operate in harsh winter conditions with our full line of trackside heating solutions, which includes heating systems for switches, contact rail (third rail), and overhead contact wire in catenary systems. With advanced heating cable technology from nVent RAYCHEM, along with high-quality system components and the general rail infrastructure expertise of nVent ERICO, we provide service-proven heating solutions. These are:

Switch heating: systems that keep turnouts and crossings properly functioning in harsh winter conditions, with a full line of service-proven solutions that feature self-regulating heating cables, and flat MI (mineral insulated) heater element technology.

Contact rail (third rail) heating: innovative heating systems that eliminate ice and snow accumulation on the contact rails (third rail), a critical part of passenger transit infrastructure.

Catenary heating: an advanced heat trace cable system that melts snow and ice on overhead contact wires, a trusted solution used by networks that operate in cold weather climates as well as more moderate climates where freezing overhead lines can still be an issue.

Signalling Enclosures

nVent is a major supplier of railway signalling enclosures with a comprehensive portfolio of solutions for trackside electrical equipment, as well as critical electronic systems contained on board rail vehicles and at remote dispatch canters. With our trusted brands nVent HOFFMAN and nVent SCHROFF, we serve railways and signalling system integrators throughout the world, with manufacturing facilities in every key railway market, including China. Our industry-leading experience, and extensive design, testing and production capabilities allow nVent to produce high-quality enclosure products that provide robust mechanical stability, EMC shielding and protection against shock and vibration and other environmental challenges that are part of demanding railway operations. These high-quality enclosure products also meet international railway standards, which is why nVent HOFFMAN and nVent SCHROFF products play an integral role in safe, reliable railway networks. Our full line of signalling enclosures, which includes many rail-specific designs, is based on modular platforms that can easily be modified to meet unique applications.

• Outdoor Cabinets
• Pole Mounted Enclosures
• Seismic Cabinets
• On-board Cabinets
• 19” Subracks and Chasis
• Small Form Factor Computer Cases
• Rugged Boxes and EmbeddedCOM systems

nVent Rail World

nVent Rail World offers an up close look at how nVent rail products work together. Two newly launched online resources give customers the chance to engage with nVent rail products, stories from customers and more.

New nVent Virtual Rail World

Discover more about nVent Rail Solutions by experiencing the different areas of the rail network through nVent products, with detailed and realistic application scenarios, including the control rooms as well as on-track applications. Walking virtually through these applications will showcase a comprehensive inventory of nVent solutions including product information and resources from nVent brands including nVent ERICO, ERIFLEX, CADDY, LENTON, SCHROFF and HOFFMAN.

Products are arranged by core solutions and can be navigated through to each product – where users can find comprehensive product information. You can access the nVent Virtual Rail World here.

All nVent Rail Information and Resources in One Place

Find easy-to-access product information and resources on the Railway Solutions homepage for core nVent rail products across all of the nVent brands, as well as a comprehensive view of the niche electrical application areas where these products serve a critical function.