DRIVER cabs of locos working at Port Kembla Steelworks are now more insulated from the grunt of big horsepower diesels and the chatter of heavily loaded bogeys, thanks to lining work using kits tailored for the purpose by Pyrotek Soundguard .
The work is being done as part of maintenance services provided to Bluescope Steel by Rail Alliance partners Fluor Global Services and United Goninan.
Tests confirm that the soundproofing has made significant reductions in the sound level measured in the cabs. An added benefit is that the cabs are warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
The insulation is provided by Soundguard in the form of factory-cut kits, one for each loco type, which saves time, effort, scrap, clutter and the need for templates during installation.
The kits consist of a variety of soundproofing materials. The multilayer floor mat is made of loaded vinyl with a decoupling layer and a decorative finish. Bone-coloured acoustic foam is fitted to the ceiling and walls.
These are glued into place, after which J-sections are used to finish off the edges. A bull-nose stair tread and flat fluted track is used to hold the floor mat in place.
The complete fit-out takes under four days and causes little or no disruption to the other work in progress by the rolling stock maintenance team.