Cast Iron Subway Vault Lights

Custom cast iron subway vault light panels and pavement lights

Cast Iron Subway Vault Lights

Richmond Iron makes custom cast iron with glass prisms. Typical designs echo the style of historic cast iron subway vault light panels and stairs in SOHO NYC. With three different glass prism designs, unlimited glass pattern arrangements and completely custom castings in gray iron, ductile iron, aluminum and bronze; glass prism panels from Richmond Iron are a versatile material for architectural embellishment.

Glass Prisms

Glass prisms for subway vault panels from Richmond Iron have been custom engineered for a precise fit in cast iron panels. Richmond Iron has designed a prism glass, cast iron and two part epoxy system for a completely engineered solution of superlative materials for lighted subway vault panels. All of the materials in a Richmond Iron glass prism panel are from well known domestic manufacturers like Gillinder Brothers, Inc., O. K. Foundry Co., Inc. and Sika USA.

Three Options for Glass

Epoxy Injection Bonding

Richmond Iron installs glass prisms into cast iron with a self leveling two part epoxy for a structural bond between the glass and cast iron. Our secret is a perfectly matched cast iron pocket from O. K. Foundry Co., Inc. and Gillinder Glass, but we’re spreading the word about a superior epoxy solution lighted vault panel glass prism installation anyone can use. See the Product Data Sheet from Sika on the weather and chemical resistant structural epoxy we use to install glass prisms.

3D CAD Engineering

Finite element analysis, FEA, of deflection and stress under load is an inexpensive method to certify glass prism panels for the toughest loads like the NYC truck load requirement for sidewalk panels.

As a complete in house solution Richmond Iron can change the size of the prisms, the number of prisms and the rib structure of the casting until a casting meets loading standards.

Ductile Iron Advantage

Our cast iron lighted subway vault and pavement light panels are poured in house at O. K. Foundry Co., Inc. for completely custom made-to-order castings. This includes the unique ability to cast bullet glass panels in ASTM A536 Certified Ductile Iron.

Ductile iron has double the strength of gray iron and since it will bend before it breaks, ductile iron can be used in load bearing structures. For a gray iron panel to safely carry loads, it must be much thicker and heavier than a ductile iron panel.

Black Iron Patina

Rust forms a protective and durable coating on cast iron and over time will mature into an attractive dark brown patina, but first it will blush bright orange and it can take more than a year to fully mature. By force rusting virgin cast iron and then converting the rust with Black Max from Rhomar Industries, a dark black brown patina is created for a life long finish without paint. A living finish, but one that gracefully ages into a durable deep dark brown patina.

Using an innovative rust conversion patina, Richmond Iron has developed a natural black iron finish that is paint free, VOC free and easy to maintain.