HIREC® Case Studies / Countermeasure against Snow Accretion in Monorails

HIREC®: Super Hydrophobic Coating for Antenna, Radome and Other Public Infrastructure

Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail

Tama Area is in the western part of Tokyo metropolitan, and has a population of one third of Tokyo Metropolitan, that is 4 million or more habitancy. Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail Co, Ltd. operates a public monorail system of 16km, double tracked lines for the area's convenient and smooth transportation.

Safe and Scheduled Transportation

The Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail promotes safe operation as a top priority, and is continuously implementing a range of measures to provide customers with safe and comfortable services. One of the important measures was to provide safe and steady transportation in bad weather including heavy rainfall and snowfall.

Adoption of HIREC® as a Counter Measure against Snow Accretion

In snowfall, snow covering may accumulate on a rail and accrete inside of the lower part of monorail cars. To ensure safe train driving it is necessary to remove the accreted snow from the inside. This needs time and may destabilize the train schedule. HIREC® was adopted as a counter measure against snow accretion. HIREC® was painted inside of the lower part of monorail cars as shown in the red box.


HIREC® Reducing Snow Accretion in Monorail

In February, 2014, Tokyo had a record snowfall. The effectiveness of HIREC® against snow accretion was validated during the snowfall. The quantity of snow accumulated inside of the lower part of cars was drastically reduced in HIREC® applied cars. Also HIREC® made the snow removal easier. Accordingly, the travel delay and the customers' inconvenience were minimized. HIREC® is applied to all the monorail cars of Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail as a counter measure of snow accretion.(Reported on October 7, 2014)



The super water repellent HIREC® is the effective countermeasure for snow accretion.

Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail Co., Ltd.

Address: 1078-92 Izumicho, Tachikawa-shi, 190-0015 Tokyo, Japan
Phone: +81 42 526 7800
http://www.tama-monorail.co.jp/en/