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Report on the Fire Protection Day 2023
CURRENTA CONFERENCE ON SAFE RAIL TRANSPORT IS BACK

For manufacturers of rail vehicles, components and materials, the Rail Vehicle Fire Protection Day is a must-attend annual event in German-speaking countries. This is because everyone meets at the CURRENTA conference in Leverkusen to discuss new safety requirements, technical trends and current test procedures and to maintain their professional network.
At first glance, the normal world of the Federal Railway Authority with all its documents, abbreviations and “official speak” seems like a bureaucratic monster that has fallen out of time. The “dry matter” presented by Johannes Driller from the Bonn-based federal authority at the CURRENTA Fire Safety Day on 16 November is an important pillar for ensuring that rail is one of the safest means of transport, far ahead of road transport.
For Michael Halfmann, the fire protection standards and high European safety requirements in the rail transport sector are an important business basis for CURRENTA Brandtechnologie, which he manages at the Flittarder plant section of CHEMPARK Leverkusen. “I am delighted that we are meeting live again for the first time in four years and that CURRENTA can welcome around 150 participants from Germany and abroad to Baykomm Leverkusen, despite the rail strike,” emphasised the initiator of the Rail Vehicle Fire Protection Day. “Even though we as a testing laboratory do not produce our own products or even means of transport, our expertise in analytics is in demand when it comes to fire protection and, for example, the complex evaluation of toxicity in order to bring the required safety to the railway,” added Laboratory and Operations Manager Alexander Kuchner. Over the course of 20 years, the annual Rail Vehicle Fire Protection Day has developed into one of the most important fire protection meetings in the German-speaking public transport community. This was also reflected in the diverse programme for manufacturers and suppliers of rail vehicles, testing laboratories and government agencies on 16 November.
On the way to rail vehicles with increasing safety levels
After the Federal Railway Authority had given an overview of current changes to the TSI (Technical Specifications for Interoperability) and fire technology requirements, Helmuth Kleinöder used his presentation time to show how Alstom has developed its own fire risk analysis system for rail vehicles within the framework of the legal guard rails. It is characterised by the fact that it brings all areas together in order to both exchange experiences and jointly assess risks.
Fire tests ensure passenger protection
The European harmonised standard EN 45545 for fire protection in rail vehicles has personal safety as its primary protection objective. The fire tests presented by Alexander Kuchner and Sebastian Schulz in accordance with EN 45545-2, which materials installed in passenger trains, for example, have to withstand in the CURRENTA laboratories, were explicitly committed to this objective. After all, safe evacuation is only possible if every passenger has sufficient time and space to leave the train in good time before a fire spreads.

Standards as an export hit
Philip Gallandi from the DIN standards committee for track and railway vehicles was convinced that the European fire safety standards are so good that they could also become the global standard. If national and structural hurdles can be overcome, barriers to trade can be minimised and the level of safety increased.
Green drives on the rise
Megatrends such as hydrogen and battery technology were addressed by Tolga Wichmann from TÜV SÜD Rail, who is currently still observing a lack of suitable standards, which are encountering a variety of technical solutions, for example in the construction of batteries. In addition, the risks involved in transporting electric bicycles also need to be taken into account.
Large safety discrepancy between bus and train

The speakers and the programme
16 November 2023
Speakers
Philip GALLANDI
DIN Standards Committee for Track and Rolling Stock, Berlin
Michael HALFMANN
Currenta, Analytics / Fire Technology, Leverkusen
Dr.-Ing. Anja HOFMANN-BÖLLINGHAUS
Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin
Helmuth KLEINÖDER
Alstom, Kassel
Alexander KUCHNER
Currenta, Analytics / Fire Technology, Leverkusen
Sebastian SCHULZ
Currenta, Analytics / Fire Technology, Leverkusen
Johannes Driller
Federal Railway Authority, Bonn
Tolga WICHMANN
TÜV SÜD Rail, Berlin
Programme
Welcome (HALFMANN)
Updating the TSI and fire technology requirements for the vehicle fleet (DRILLER)
Fire hazard analysis for rail vehicles – objectives and limits (KLEINÖDER)
Coffee break
Fire protection in rail vehicles according to EN 45545-2
Requirements, test methods, assessments and challenges (KUCHNER, SCHULZ)
Normative developments in fire protection for rail vehicles. EN 45545 – from Europe to the world?
(GALLANDI]
Discussion, followed by lunch break with snacks
Fire safety of buses, transferability of EN 45545 (HOFMANN-BÖLLINGHAUS)
Fire protection features of alternative energy storage and generation systems
(WICHMANN)
Closing remarks, followed by the opportunity for further discussion in the foyer
End of the event
Tour of the fire technology
Those with a special interest had the opportunity to visit the testing facilities in CURRENTA’s fire test centre. This will also be possible again at the next Fire Protection Day.
Website:
www.brandschutztag.de
Venue:
CHEMPARK Leverkusen
Baykomm Communication Center
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Allee 1, 51373 Leverkusen