First bio-based rail car coating tested

The transportation industry is always looking for ways to enhance sustainability and reduce its carbon footprint. Vehicle manufacturers use lightweight construction concepts to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Railway system operators contend that the mass transportation of people and goods by rail is significantly more sustainable to begin with. But these factors are not enough in the long run.

Polish railway vehicle manufacturer Newag SA broke new ground in resource-efficient coatings when it coated two diesel locomotives with a paint based on renewable resources. Lankwitzer Lackfabrik of Berlin supplied the coating, which it developed in close collaboration with Covestro, using the bio-based coating hardener Desmodur eco N 7300.

At Newag’s headquarters in Poland, the EVOClear 294 / PH 94-0000 coating system from Lankwitzer was sprayed just like a standard clear coat. Joint testing conducted by Lankwitzer Lackfabrik and Covestro confirms the high performance of the clear coat: It is on par with polyurethane systems of petrochemical provenance.