Recycling of Rolling Stocks

This review paper presents the importance of recycling, nowadays, in our society. Firstly, it demonstrates that modern rolling stocks can be useful for this environmental benefit since almost all the materials involved in their composition can be recycled and reutilised. To begin with, a brief definition and concept of each type of train are discussed herein, accompanied by some demonstrative illustrations. Then, in order to explain better the component analyses, the recovery rates and the percentage of each material belonging to trains composition have been highlighted. In this way, an idea of the quantity of the materials that can be recycled was designed. Furthermore, the suitable end-of-life rail vehicles procedures are discussed, as well as the life cycle of the main materials in which both criteria take into account the environmental issues and the best and safest way to deal with them. Finally, this research reports more specifications about the applications of all the recycling processes involving those principal railway materials. The aim of this study is to make the manufacturers and industries aware of how rolling stock recycling can bring benefits to the environments and, consequently, to the society.