DIN EN 16235:2013-12

EN 14363 defines the requirements for railway vehicles with respect to running behaviour. The approval process in accordance with EN 14363, including the dispensation defined in this standard, is illustrated in normative Annex B (flow chart). It is recognised that experience has demonstrated that running gear fitted to wagons that operate safely can also be fitted to other wagons which are within certain design limits. These other wagons will also operate safely without the need to undergo on-track testing. This experience is based on the characteristics of track design, track maintenance and vehicle maintenance in the European network since 1998. This document defines the process to determine the conditions under which such dispensation from testing can be given for a vehicle defined by the running gear and its relevant parameters together with the associated parameter limits of wagon bodies. Vehicles for the transport of freight on the railway have historically been subject to standardisation. Very early common items like wheels, buffers, draw gear, etcetera were developed as standardised components to fulfil safety requirements, for achieving ease of repair and maintenance for international traffic and low cost. Freight wagons have a wide range of applications and consequently the parameters will vary. In the UIC work for the standardisation and interchange of freight wagons certain processes for acceptance with respect to running characteristics evolved and these were formalised in UIC 432 and UIC 572 among others. The principles of this standard are similar to the intention of these two leaflets. Vehicles accepted through the UIC process were also accepted for RIV (Regolamento Internazionale Veicoli) service, that is international interchange between the RIV railways. This was replaced by the General Contract of Use for Wagons (GCU) agreement on 1st July 2006. Following the Directive 2008/57/EC the Conventional Rail Technical Specification for Interoperability for Freight Wagons (CR TSI WAG) was elaborated, which contains interoperability requirements for freight wagons. The following principles apply to the use of this standard: 1) The railway system requires comprehensive technical rules in order to ensure an acceptable interaction of vehicle and track. 2) New railway vehicles are approved (in the UIC 432 the term homologated is used) before being placed into service in accordance with numerous national and international regulations. In addition, existing approval is checked when operating conditions are extended. The approval is based on test results, calculations and/or comparisons with existing vehicles in order to achieve a safety level according to the recognised standards and regulations. 3) It is of particular importance that the existing level of safety and reliability is not compromised even when changes in design and operating practices are demanded. This standard does not prevent the use of the principles laid down applying to other types of rolling stock.