In modern rolling stock, the focus is no longer solely on functionality. The interior must also meet the highest standards—especially in terms of comfort, aesthetics, and safety. The challenge: how can reliable fire protection be achieved in passenger areas without restricting design freedom?
Traditional point-type detectors often clash with modern design concepts: they disrupt the interior design, often do not match the chosen colors, and must be installed in a visible location. This is a clear aesthetic disadvantage. In addition, their placement usually only occurs at a late stage of interior design, which limits the scope for planning.
The solution: aspirating smoke detectors. Based on highly sensitive air sampling technology, they enable early and reliable fire detection while remaining virtually invisible in the vehicle design.
TITANUS aspirating smoke detector
Early fire detection provides valuable time for rapid action
High immunity to false alarms thanks to intelligent fire pattern recognition
Seamless integration into wall or ceiling structures
The placement of sampling points can be adapted to any design concept.
Uniform system architecture for different vehicle types and platform solutions
Detection even in complex room structures
Full design freedom without compromising on safety
Point-type detectors, on the other hand, are strongly influenced by complex air currents from the HVAC system (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning). To ensure reliable detection, several devices are often required per area. Design elements such as monitors, partitions, or different ceiling heights further exacerbate this effect. TITANUS aspirating smoke detectors completely circumvent this problem through active air sampling and a central detection unit. For vehicle platforms, this means that a detection design planned once remains in place even if the interior layout changes. With point-type detectors, on the other hand, the positions must always be readjusted and checked as soon as the interior changes.
This makes fire protection a discreet but powerful component of interior design. Even under demanding conditions such as dust, moisture, or changing air currents, detection performance remains constant. This is even the case with windows open at speeds of up to 120 km/h, as independent tests have shown. A particularly impressive practical example: TITANUS aspirating smoke detectors are used in combination with a two-zone water mist system on the Capricorn trains of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), which operate on the Albula–Bernina UNESCO World Heritage route, including reliable operation at speeds of up to 120 km/h. Maintenance is carried out by WAGNER Rail itself.
The systems are not only flexible to integrate and designed for fast, maintenance-friendly operation. Thanks to modular components, flexible pipe systems, and pre-assembled units, TITANUS aspirating smoke detectors can be installed quickly — ideal for new buildings and retrofit projects.
Whether monitors, luggage areas, raised cabins, or separate compartments: TITANUS aspirating smoke detectors detect smoke early, regardless of the room layout or air flow in the passenger compartment. Active air sampling ensures that even hard-to-reach areas are reliably monitored.
For designers and manufacturers, this means high design freedom combined with a high degree of planning reliability without technical compromises. Today, smoke detectors are much more than just safety-related components: they are active contributors to the design of modern train interiors. Thanks to their invisible integration and high adaptability, they support both individual design concepts and standardized platform solutions.
Let's talk about your design ideas. I would be happy to show you how interior design in rail transport can be achieved with integrated safety.
