TRATOS® RAILWAY-FGT Aluminium Cable

TRATOS® RAILWAY-FGT Aluminium – Infrastructure Signalling Power Distribution Cable

Tratos FGT Aluminium full range of enhanced unarmoured cables with water blocking (WB) and Fibre Glass Weave Tape (FGT) rodent protection and internal anti-theft maker protection has gained full product acceptance, certificate number PA05/07165, from Network Rail for use on their infrastructure.

Tratos FGT enhanced unarmoured aluminium conductor power cable forms part of the Class II power supply and have increased insulation and sheath thickness intended to provide a degree of protection against crushing and impact damage are installed in accordance with Network Rail standard NR/L2/SIGELP/27410 Specification for Class II Based Signalling Power Distribution Systems.

Class  II systems are designed in such a way that they do not require a safety connection to an electrical earth. Safety is paramount, given the many cable thefts and cable damage in recent years. With theft and vandalism, there is a risk that the earth return system could become compromised leading to death or serious injury.

FGT Solid aluminium conductor (SAC) cables from 16mm² to 120mm² are designed and manufactured with aluminium class 1 solid and aluminium stranded class 2 (120mm² to 185mm²) conductors according to BS EN 60228.

Cross sectional areas 16mm² to 25mm² have circular conductors, 35mm² to 120mm² with sector shaped conductors and 120mm² to 185mm² with stranded shaped conductors in two, three and four core constructions.

The XLPE enhanced cable insulation meets or exceeds the requirements as specified in the following standards: IEC 60502-1 Type XLPE & BS 7655-1-3 Type GP8. The insulated core colour identification requirements for two and three cores are according to NR/L3/SIGELP/27427. Four core cables for use in single phase IT systems have Red, Brown Black and Grey core colours as specified in NR/L3/SIGELP/27427.

Within the cable a longitudinal internal identification tape with the legend ‘PROPERTY OF NETWORK RAIL’ this provides cable anti-theft marker protection.

Water blocking (WB) tape/s are applied to provide excellent water tightness of the cable conductors, the WB tapes used in the construction and manufacturing meets or exceeds the requirements as specified in ISO 9073. A very important requirement of the cable specification is the application of fibre glass weave tape (FGT) which is specified in the Network Rail NR/L2/SIGELP/27408 issues 3 standard. The FGT tape provides rodent protection to the cable. The main purpose of the FGT is to stop rats chewing through signalling power cables and when damaged by rodents can lead to severe train delays when signalling power failures occur due to rodent damage.

Tratos provides cable sheathing options Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as specified in the following standards: IEC 60502-1 Type ST1, ST2 BS 7655-4-2 Type 9 EN 50363-4-1 Type TM1, TM2 or Low Smoke Zero Halogen) LSOH cable sheathing material to the following standards: IEC 60502-1 Type ST8 BS 7655-6-1 Type LTS1, LTS4.

Tratos’ FGT cable with LSOH sheathing meets the Technical Specification for Interoperability on Safety in Railway Tunnels (TSI SRT) for exposed cables installed in railway tunnels longer than 0.1km against the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) classification B2ca,s1a,a1. The SAC/FAC LSOH range of cables have been tested to demonstrate fire safety material compliance to Transport for London (TfL)/London Underground (LU) S1085 A4 by Interscience Communications Ltd (ICL), a fully accredited UKAS fire testing service provider.

The full range of Tratos’ enhanced unarmoured FGT cables are detailed and listed on the Network Rail – SERCO PADS (Parts and Drawing System) for accepted products. Full details of Tratos’ approved cable product can be viewed on the SERCO PADS accessed system. The application allows searches to the following product attributes; PADS Catalogue (006/) Number, the item cable description, our supplier details, the Tratos part number & images, Tratos product certificate PA05/07165 and the product acceptance specific details.