Perhaps someone on the forum can share some knowledge...

I have been attempting to have reproduced ( with no sucess ) the sheet rubber material found in Pulllman heavyweights that was often found in restrooms, service corridors and the like. The material is sheet rubber, and often came in black and white, red and black ( or perhaps the black was really green ) and green and black squares. It was also commonly found in vestibules and on open platform cars, on the outside rear platform.

I have contacted over 10 different rubber companies, without having any luck in having this material reproduced.

I know the alternative is to have the colors cut into 1 1/2" squares ( say in VCT etc ) and lay the floor, however that is not really something that I really want to do...

So I reach out to the vast knowledge base of RYPN members... Anyone deal with any rubber companies that could produce this material or have any ideas ?

thanks


Dean Levin

I understand not wanting to do the individual tile laying, but one option you have is getting a company to produce what you want with individual tiles and having it pre-assembled so all you have to do is lay it in sheets and remove a top covering or possibly having it affixed to a backing material (both are options). It will cost, but would save hours and hours of work and get the finished appearance you want.

Mike

Have you tried Ace Rubber products in Akron? They produce a large variety of rubber flooring and matting, including transit vehicle flooring, They also advertise that they'll do custom runs. We use their famous, Rub-Bub glue for flooring.

Gord McOuat
OERHA / Halton County

Dean,

Look here first, and then go to their home page and look around.

They are one of the two leading providersof transit car flooring in the US, I think it is a German product. I do not know if it will be cost effective, but they can do it.

I installed several programs worth of this stuff in MARC Train cars between 1991 and 2005.

http://www.nora.com/us/products/flooring-gallery/flooring-inlays-gallery/

Steve Z

The type of thing Stevie Z recommended is what I had in mind. I got pricing for custom Chessie cat logos for the restrooms of former C&O Torch Lake and it was rather reasonable considering that install was included. There is a company in Chattanooga that can provide this service and that was where we got the pricing from. I don't recall the name right now, but it's the same company TVRM gets the rubber flooring for our locos and coaches.

Sincerely appreciate the responses, sent off a few inquiries, and hope to have some better luck...

thank you for the information


Dean Levin

If you get stuck for the "real thing", you may be able to make something useable by cutting up industrial floor tile and sticking it on to the big sticky sheets we use to trap dust and insects at the entry door onto our data equipment floors. They measure about 3X4 feet and have been known to also trap some of our weakest technicians.

dave

Please let us know how you make out, our CPR sleeper, "Jackman" has the same flooring in red and black.

Bob Dickson
Toronto Railway Historical Association

Being involved with the restoration of 10-Section, 2-Drawing Room Pullman "Gothic Peak", Blt. 12-1926, I would be most interested in learning more about any source for the rubber tile used on the vestibules and corridors.

How did this topic ever play out? Any other sources or contacts out there?