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DIN Standards Committee Railway

Overview

This European Standard EN 15551 "Railway applications - Railway rolling stock- Buffers" has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 256 "Railway applications", the secretariat of which is held by DIN (Germany). The responsible German committee is Working Committee NA 087-00-13 AA "Kupplungen, Zug- und Stoßeinrichtungen" ("Couplings, draft gear") at DIN Standards Committee Railway (FSF). This European Standard defines the requirements for buffers with 105 mm, 110 mm and 150 mm stroke for vehicles or units which use buffers and screw coupling. It covers the functionality, interfaces and testing procedures, including pass fail criteria, for buffers. Typically, buffers with a stroke of 105 mm are used on freight wagons and locomotives, buffers with a stroke of 110 mm are used on coaches and locomotives and buffers with a stroke of 150 mm are used on freight wagons. It defines the different categories of buffers, the space envelope, static and dynamic characteristics and energy absorption. It includes a calculation method to determine the minimum size of the buffer head to avoid override between buffers. It defines the static and dynamic characteristics of the elastic systems. It also defines the requirements for buffers with integrated crash elements (crashworthy buffers) for tank wagons for dangerous goods. The requirements of this European Standard also apply to buffers of locomotives and passenger coaches which need to meet the crashworthiness requirements of EN 15227 for normal service only. The properties for the energy absorbing function are defined in EN 15227 and the requirements specified in Clause 7 for tank wagons for dangerous goods are not applicable to the buffers of these locomotives and passenger coaches. Diagonal buffers are excluded from this European Standard. For the crashworthy buffers of locomotives, cab cars or passenger coaches according to EN 15227, and tank wagons for dangerous goods or buffers which form part of a combined system consisting of a special buffer and a deformation element, interchangeability with freight wagon buffers is not required, and therefore the requirements of 5.2 (Fixing on vehicle and interchangeability), 5.3 (Buffer dimensions) do not apply, those of 5.4 (Mechanical characteristics of buffers) and 5.6 (Marking) apply with restrictions. Reference is made to RID for wagons subjected to the German Ordinance on Hazardous Substances. The standard differs from DIN EN 15551:2011-01 as follows: a) review and revision of the Clause "Introduction", "Scope", "Normative references" and "Terms"; b) the classification of crashworthy buffers has been added as a Subclause 4.5; c) type and production tests have been specified in the new Table 2 and amended in Table 7; d) the static requirements in Table 5 have been amended; e) revision of Table C.2. - Nature of inspections and Tests; f) Two Subclauses C.2.4 "Static Characteristics" and C.2.5 "Dynamic Characteristics" have been added for friction and ring springs; g) revision of Annex E with specification of high-sided test cars; h) Table H.1 has been revised. New materials have been added; i) Annex I has been amended by way of analogy to prEN 16839 (this annex will be deleted after the publication of EN 16839); j) the tests for crashworthy buffers has been amended in Annex J; k) revision of the figures; l) editorial revision.

Document: references other documents

Responsible national committee

NA 087-00-13 AA - Coupling devices  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 256/SC 2/WG 33 - Coupling devices