CEN/TC 256/SC 1/WG 15 - Track alignment design parameters

This document specifies rules and limits for track alignment design parameters, including alignments within switches and crossings. Several of these limits are functions of speed. Alternatively, for a given track alignment, it specifies rules and limits that determine permissible speed with regards to track alignment.
This document applies to urban or suburban rail networks for passenger services not integrated with the national network.
Sections of urban or suburban rail networks integrated in the national rail networks are not covered by this document. They are covered by EN 13803 (or for nominal track gauges smaller than 1 435 mm by national alignment rules).
For the purpose of this document, urban or suburban rail networks include:
-   Networks designed for own right of way and segregated from general road and pedestrian traffic,
and
-   Networks (partly) not segregated from general road and pedestrian traffic, with shared lanes.
This document applies to rail systems with steel wheels running on steel vignole or grooved rails. Rail systems with specific construction issues (e.g. rack railways, funicular railways and other types of cable drawn rail systems) are not covered by this document.
This document defines the parameters, rules and limits for nominal track gauges of 1 435 mm and 1 000 mm with permissible speeds up to 120 km/h. For other nominal track gauges, this document defines conversion rules which shall be used to define the limits.

The purpose of this European Standard is to specify rules and limits for track alignment design parameters, including alignments within switches and crossings. Several of these limits are functions of speed. Alternatively, for a given track alignment, it specifies rules and limits that determine permissible speed.
This European Standard applies to nominal track gauges 1 435 mm and wider with speeds up to 360 km/h. Normative Annex A describes the conversion rules which shall be applied for tracks with nominal gauges wider than 1 435 mm. Normative Annex B is applied for nominal track gauges 1 520 mm, 1 524 mm and 1 668 mm.
This European Standard is also applicable where track alignment takes into account vehicles that have been approved for high cant deficiencies (including tilting trains).
More restrictive requirements of Technical specifications for interoperability relating to the ‘infrastructure’ subsystem of the rail system in the European Union (TSI INF) and other (national, company, etc.) rules will apply.
This European Standard need not be applicable to lines, or dedicated parts of railway infrastructure that are not interoperable with railway vehicles tested and approved according to EN 14363.

This European Standard specifies the track alignment design parameters, the rules and the values that shall be used to determine the maximum operating speed for both new and existing lines. Alternatively, for a given specified speed, it defines the track alignment design parameters either for a new line or an upgraded line.

This European Standard specifies the rules and limits that determine permissible speed for a given track alignment. Alternatively, for a specified permissible speed, it defines limits for track alignment design parameters.
More restrictive requirements of the High Speed TSI Infrastructure and the Conventional Rail TSI Infrastructure, as well as other (national, company, etc.) rules will apply.
This European Standard applies to main lines with track gauges 1435 mm and wider with permissible speeds between 80 km/h and 300 km/h. Annex C (informative) describes the conversion rules which can be applied for tracks with gauges wider than 1435 mm. Normative Annex D is applied for track gauges wider than 1435 mm.
However, the values and conditions stated for this speed range can also be applied to lines where permissible speeds are less than 80 km/h, but in this case, more or less restrictive values may need to be used and should be defined in the contract.
This European Standard need not be applicable to certain urban and suburban lines.
This European Standard also takes account of vehicles that have been approved for high cant deficiencies.
For the operation of tilting trains, specific requirements are defined within this European Standard.

This European Standard specifies the rules and values for the track alignment design parameters used to determine the maximum operating speeds over tracks with abrupt changes in curvature and, consequently, abrupt changes of cant deficiency. Such conditions occur in the following situations:
-   in the diverging tracks in switch and crossing layouts;
-   when it is not practical to design an alignment with transition curves;
-   if the length of a transition curve is less than the minimum required for plain line track.
Engineering requirements specific to the mechanical behaviour of switch and crossing components and subsystems are to be found in the relevant standards.
This European Standard presupposes that the homologation of the operating vehicles will be valid and specified for conditions corresponding to the limiting values specified in this European Standard.
This European Standard is applicable to abrupt changes in curvature in switch and crossing layouts and plain lines with track gauges of ˜1 435™ mm and wider. Annex C is applicable to track gauges wider than
˜1 435™ mm.
This European Standard specifies the requirements for preventing buffer locking.
The limiting values specified in this European Standard, when applied at the switch toe, are for switches with tangential geometry (as defined in EN 13232-1).
This European Standard need not be applicable to certain urban and suburban lines.
This European Standard is not applicable to track alignment requirements for tilting body vehicles. However, Annex H draws the designer’s attention to the consequences and the restrictions imposed when tilting vehicles are operated over switch and crossing layouts and alignments without transition curves.

This European Prestandard specifies the track alignment design parameters, the rules and the values that shall be used to determine the maximum operating speed for both new and existing lines. Alternatively, for a given specified speed, it defines the track alignment design parameters either for a new line or an upgraded line.
The track alignment designer is free to specify the values most appropriate for the various parameters, when considering safety, geographical, engineering, historical and economic constraints. These values are defined in the contract document. However, the choice should be such that the selected values are no worse than the maximum (or minimum) limiting values for the safety-related parameters.
Whenever necessary, the track alignment designer should take into account any specific requirements of the appropriate national standards.
The designer shall endeavour to use the recommended limiting values specified in this European Prestandard and avoid unnecessary use of the maximum (or minimum) limiting values.
This European Prestandard applies to main lines with track gauges 1435 mm and wider with mixed or dedicated passenger traffic, running at operating speeds between 80 km/h and 300 km/h. Annex F (informative) describes the conversion rules which can be applied for tracks with gauges wider than 1435 mm. Annex G has a normative character and is to be applied for corresponding specific national conditions.
However, the values and conditions stated for this speed range can also be applied to lines where operating speeds are less than 80 km/h, but in this case, more or less restrictive values may need to be used and should be defined in the contract.
This European Prestandard does not apply to urban and suburban lines.
This European Prestandard also considers the possibility of increasing the performance of line operation, without major alignment modifications, by means of particular rail vehicle types, such as:

TC/CMC - General little editorial modifications throughout the text, partly overlooked by CMC, partly not possible to be treated by CMC
AFNOR/DIN - Various modifications/corrections in the French and German translations of the text

This European Standard specifies the rules and values for the track alignment design parameters used to
determine the maximum operating speeds over tracks with abrupt changes in curvature and, consequently,
abrupt changes of cant deficiency. Such conditions occur in the following situations:
- in the diverging tracks in switch and crossing layouts;
- when it is not practical to design an alignment with transition curves;
- if the length of a transition curve is less than the minimum required for plain line track.
Engineering requirements specific to the mechanical behaviour of switch and crossing components and
subsystems are to be found in the relevant standards.
This European Standard presupposes that the homologation of the operating vehicles will be valid and
specified for conditions corresponding to the limiting values specified in this European Standard.
This European Standard is applicable to abrupt changes in curvature in switch and crossing layouts and plain
lines with track gauges of 1435 mm and wider. Annex C is applicable to track gauges wider than 1435 mm.
This European Standard specifies the requirements for preventing buffer locking.
The limiting values specified in this European Standard, when applied at the switch toe, are for switches with
tangential geometry (as defined in EN 13232-1).
This European Standard need not be applicable to certain urban and suburban lines.
This European Standard is not applicable to track alignment requirements for tilting body vehicles. However,
Annex H draws the designer’s attention to the consequences and the restrictions imposed when tilting
vehicles are operated over switch and crossing layouts and alignments without transition curves.