Railways

Stainless Steel Applications : Materials for railway applications are required to maintain the integrity of the structure(i.e. to be sufficiently robust to withstand their service environment) and to be inert (iecorrosion resistant). Stainless steels are used in railway applications because theyare resistant to corrosion, easily fabricated and offer good mechanical properties.
The following examples may serve to indicate the considerations made in selecting asuitable grade of stainless steel for railway applications. Austenitic stainless steelgrades 1.4301 (AISI 304) and 1.4310 (AISI 301) are suitable for mild serviceenvironments and have been used in the construction of railway carriages, while ferritic stainless steel 1.4003 (ASTM S41050) has been used for freight wagons.
Stainless steel is selected for both applications because it does not need protective paint coatings and thus maintenance costs are reduced.