TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION GUIDE

What is NFPA 130?

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What Is It?

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has set forth a range of safety codes for a variety of environments and applications. NFPA 130, Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems, provides fire protection and life-safety requirements for underground, surface and elevated fixed guideway transit and passenger rail systems. This also includes storage facilities, train ways, stations, emergency ventilation systems, and communications and control systems. 

The purpose of NFPA 130 is to provide realistic degrees of safety in the event of a fire. This is crucial  for applications that involve the safety of passengers.

What Are The NFPA 130 Cable Requirements?

It is important to understand that NFPA 130 is an industry code. Products can only be in compliance with or meet NFPA 130 requirements. Official NFPA 130 cable and wire listings  do not exist. 

NFPA 130 Chapter 12 contains general wire and cable requirements for flame spread,  smoke release, temperature and moisture ratings for cable installed in stations and trainways. Vehicle wiring has separate requirements.

Requirements

Cable Types

Cables must be one of the recognized wiring types per NFPA 70  (the National Electrical Code).

Flame Spread and Smoke Release

Cables are required to comply with one of the following: 

  • FT4/IEEE 1202 (flame) and UL 1685 (smoke) testing
  • NFPA 262 (flame and smoke) testing.

Temperature Rating

Cables need to be rated to 90°C. Communication cables are excluded.

Moisture Rating

Insulated conductors must be listed for wet locations. Communication cables are excluded.

Fire-Resistive Cables

Fire-resistive cables must meet at least the 1-hour fire rating per  UL 2196 for both horizontal and vertical applications. Please see  Anixter’s letter on UL fire-resistive cables for details on the approved  cable types and manufacturers.

Why Anixter?

  • Our staff of experienced transit experts can help guide you through the product selection and deployment process.
  • With a technical sales force and experts on our Engineering Support Services team, we are devoted to railway transit solutions.
  • We have the broadest infrastructure offerings to fit your current and future communication, control, power, network cabling, security application and transit cabling needs.
  • Our footprint supports our customers’ and suppliers’ operations around the globe.

 

Contact your local Anixter sales representative, or visit our railway solutions page.

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