The busy 9-mile rail tunnel in Rogers Pass required the replacement of their HPS lights.
Replacements were due to the HPS fixtures failing from those harsh tunnel conditions. This rugged environment included constant vibration, extreme temperatures, and high humidity.
CP Rail upgraded the remote mountain railroad tunnel with HazLoc Nemalux LED lights. The Rogers Pass is the longest railway tunnel in the western hemisphere. CP built the MacDonald Tunnel through Rogers Pass between 1982 and 1988.
The fixtures had a buildup of explosive dust and debris on and inside the lens. This results in a significant reduction of the light levels and a safety risk in the tunnel. This compromises the longevity of most general location LED luminaires.
From UIC - Railway Induced Vibration, State of the Art report published November 2017
Since the legacy fixtures were not designed to operate under extreme conductions. Prolonged periods of use resulted in premature failure and maintenance shutdowns.
CP Rail determined the Mt. Macdonald train tunnel as a C1D2/C2D2 classification zone. Class 1 Division 2 and Class 2 Division 2 are part of the CSA certification ULC standards.
CP Project Engineers determined Nemalux would be the best fit based on crucial expertise:
- IP rating & sealing methods
- Lighting design capability
- Custom bracket design
- Fixture reliability
- LED technology
- Project delivery
CP Rail required a long-term solution that would be safe, optimized, and efficient.
Enhanced visibility and decreased maintenance work were the prioritized focus. Effective operations and reduced security risks are some of the benefits.
The MR Series met all the criteria required by the customer. The MR provided an optimized, safe, long-term lighting solution. Deploying harsh and hazardous location luminaires addresses these operating tunnel challenges.
Advanced optical profiles allow for optimized spacing to reduce light fixture quantity. Efficient LEDs and power supplies reduce power consumption and future maintenance costs.
Installation was efficient with minimal downtime. The MR lights mitigated the client's challenges. The project succeeded expectations.
