Once a train is out in the open, highly reflective paints or coatings could help, too. In the UK, the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), an independent standards and research organization, is planning to trial a selection of such technologies on trains next year. “There is a decent chance that some kind of wrap or reflective coating becomes a cost-effective approach for dealing with this,” says Richard Walker, deputy director of research at RSSB.
Different trains might need slightly different solutions depending on whether they take a north-south or east-west route, adds his colleague Scarlett Hayward Mitchell, a research support analyst. That orientation could affect which parts of the vehicle are more frequently exposed to strong sunshine.
Doing anything with railways is expensive these days. So updates to air-conditioning systems, or liveries, are most likely to take place when train operators make scheduled updates to their rolling stock. In the UK, a program to transfer some rail services into public ownership—making them part of a new entity called Great British Railways—could be a good excuse to invest in new paintwork or liveries for trains. This is partly why the RSSB has decided to research reflective materials right now, explains Walker.
Meanwhile, Paul and his colleagues continue to work on their underground cooling technology at their chalk quarry test site. “We’re building slowly in order to present a case that this can be rolled out operationally,” he says. “We’re maybe a year away from it.”
If he, or anyone, can interest TfL—and successfully cool down the Tube—then perhaps anything’s possible.
