BS EN 15528:2015 describes methods of classification of existing and new railway lines and the categorization of vehicles. The standard specifies the technical requirements for ensuring the compatibility of the interface between a vehicle and infrastructure with respect to the vertical load carrying capacity of a line. The standard is suitable for use on freight, passenger and mixed traffic lines with standard track gauge and wider than standard track gauge. It contains requirements relevant to:

• classification of the vertical load carrying capacity of railway infrastructure;
• design of railway vehicles;
• determination of payload limits of freight wagons.

A summary of the classification of infrastructure and the categorization of vehicles is given in Annex B.

The assessment of the vertical load carrying capacity of civil engineering structures, track, sub-grade and earthworks by the use of the load models defined in Annex A permits the classification of infrastructure into line categories.

This European Standard identifies on which lines vehicles are compatible to the infrastructure for regular traffic regarding vertical load effects.

Line categories are provided for:

• all traffic types;
• heavy freight traffic;
• locomotives;
• multiple units;
• lightweight passenger traffic.

Portable trolleys as defined by EN 13977 are outside the scope of this European Standard as well as the working mode of maintenance vehicles (e.g. rail mounted plant, cranes).

This European Standard does not cover the system used in Great Britain, where all lines and vehicles are classified in accordance with the RA (Route Availability) System. A guide to the equivalent categories in accordance with this European Standard is given in Annex Q.

This European Standard does not cover requirements relating to the maximum total mass or maximum length of a train.

The requirements of this European Standard do not replace any regulations related to running behaviour of vehicles described by the assessment quantities for running safety, track loading and ride characteristics (see EN 14363).

This Standard does not impose any requirements to vehicles or infrastructure, but gives guidance to a simplified management of the interface between vehicles and infrastructure.

Publication of line categories is outside the scope of this European Standard.


Cross References:
EN 1991-2:2003
EN 15663:2009
EN 15877-1
2008/57/EC
EN 13803-1
EN 14363
EN 15687
UIC 502-1
UIC 700:2004
UIC 702:2003
UIC 719
UIC 776-1
COTIF Agreement 1999
GE/RT8006
EN 13977
EN 15877?2
EN 14033
EN 15746
EN 15954
EN 1990:2002
EN 1991-1
EN 15955


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