Does secondary glazing stop train noise?

Airborne train noise, yes — up to 54dB with 10.8mm acoustic laminate at a 200mm cavity. Trackside properties typically see pass-by peaks fall from the mid 60s to the mid 30s internally.

Why does rail noise need a deeper cavity than traffic noise?

Wheel-rail interaction concentrates energy at 50-160Hz, lower than road traffic. Low frequencies are controlled by mass-spring-mass decoupling, which depends on cavity depth, so we specify 200mm for rail wherever the reveal allows.

Will it stop vibration from trains?

No. Within about 15 metres of a track, or above a tunnel, some energy travels through the ground as structure-borne vibration, which no glazing can address. Our free survey identifies whether your problem is airborne, structural or both.

What about the screeching noise on curves?

Curve squeal sits at 2-5kHz, which acoustic laminate blocks very effectively. It is usually the first thing occupants notice disappearing after installation.

Secondary Glazing for Railway & Tube Noise

Built for the low-frequency rumble and sharp pass-by peaks of London rail.

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80-88dB

Typical pass-by peak

54dB

Achievable reduction

200mm

Recommended cavity

5-15s

Event duration

Rail noise behaves differently from traffic. Instead of a continuous background, you get discrete pass-by events reaching 80-88dB at the facade, each lasting 5-15 seconds, with a strong low-frequency component from wheel-rail interaction and, on overground and tube surface sections, distinctive high-frequency squeal on curves.

The intermittent, high-peak character is what makes rail so disruptive to sleep: the brain reacts to the change in level, not the average. Reducing the peak is what matters, and that requires mass plus cavity depth.

Wheel-rail rumble and curve squeal

Wheel-rail interaction produces a broadband rumble with substantial energy at 50-160Hz, which passes through lightweight construction almost unimpeded. On curved sections — common on the London Overground and District Line surface track — flange contact adds a 2-5kHz squeal that is far easier to block but psychologically very intrusive.

50-160Hz rumble: needs cavity depth, not just glass mass
2-5kHz curve squeal: blocked effectively by laminate
Freight at night: longest events, heaviest low-frequency content
Tube surface sections: high event frequency, lower peak

Deep-cavity specification for rail

Rail is the application where we push cavity depth hardest — 200mm where the reveal allows. Combined with 10.8mm acoustic laminate, that resonates the mass-spring-mass system well below the dominant rumble band, so low-frequency energy is attenuated rather than transmitted.

Where reveal depth is limited, we compensate with heavier glass and, occasionally, an asymmetric pairing of 10.8mm secondary against the existing 4mm primary to avoid coincident resonance.

Structure-borne vibration

Very close to a track — within roughly 15 metres, or above a tunnel — some energy arrives through the ground rather than the air. Secondary glazing cannot address structure-borne vibration. Our survey identifies whether your problem is airborne, structural, or both, so expectations are set honestly before you order.

Railway noise specification

Glass: 10.8mm acoustic laminate, asymmetric to primary glazing
Cavity: 200mm where reveal depth allows; 150mm minimum
Target band: 50-160Hz rumble plus 2-5kHz squeal
Seals: Full-perimeter EPDM compression, hinged preferred
System performance: Up to 54dB
Limitation: Airborne noise only — not structure-borne vibration

Pricing guide

Specification	Price	Notes
Trackside bedroom, 10.8mm at 200mm	from £650	Maximum specification
Standard rail-corridor window, 6.4mm	from £500	Beyond 50m from track
Hinged upgrade for maximum seal	+£70	Per window, adds 2-3dB
Free acoustic sound survey	Free	Identifies airborne vs structural

All prices supplied and fitted in London, inclusive of survey and 25-year warranty. See the full secondary glazing price list.

Case study: Overground trackside flat in Hackney

Hackney, E8

Problem: 86dB pass-by peaks every 4 minutes including curve squeal; 64dB internally at the bed head.

Solution: Hinged units with 10.8mm acoustic laminate at a 200mm cavity across the two track-facing windows.

Result: Peak internal level reduced to 34dB; squeal eliminated entirely and pass-bys no longer waking the occupants.

Frequently asked questions

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Free London survey, measured dB assessment and a written specification within 48 hours.

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