The NIBE Element Railway Solutions third rail heaters use an advanced PFA polymer sheathing that will not ill form over its heating profiles. It will stay straight season over season. Note silicone heaters have their own set of problems, as can be seen in the roofing heat trace market—a fungus can grow on the silicone.

This fungus by itself is not a problem, but certain birds have an appetite for the fungus and can inadvertently destroy the heater. This is the reason the heat trace elements in the roofing market have eliminated silicone as a solution: no silicone—no birds!

The heaters are encased in a fiberglass channel that presses the heater to the rail to optimize thermal conductivity.

The clips to hold the channel are made of a spring steel and wrap around the rail for firm grip and placement. The clips place the heater to the highest point on the web as possible, bringing it to the closest point of the rail.