Most European Rail Networks,
including Italy's FS,
have adopted a common international coding for their wagons.
Under the system, the various types of vehicles are marked by
a letter (code letter) and a sequence of digits (digit code).
The code letter system has been designed
in such a way that each special category of wagon (covered,
high-side, flat bed, etc.) corresponds to a capital letter,
called class or series code letter. In addition to the code
letter for a given class, the markings also include some characteristic
letters or indices, written in lower case, which indicate the
presence or absence of some requirements that are usually applicable
to the wagons of that class.
The number coding comprises
four elements according to the following groups
of codes and digits:
This indicates the points
system of the wagon on international service and
whether or not it is suitable for running on railways
with a different gauge;
This shows the owner network
or, in the case of private wagons, the network of registration;
This indicates
the actual service number:
- with the first four digits, the class the wagon belongs
to (every class encompasses wagons with similar usage
characteristics);
- with the other three digits, the numerical progression
within each class;
This is an automatic control
digit code, which enables mechanographic machines to perform
an automatic check of digit codes to establish their exactness.
As a result of all this, thanks to the standard coding system,
it is easy to identify the main characteristics of usage of
each vehicle, as well as the gauge profile and the owner network
or that of registration. As far as the code letters are concerned,
the standard coding is only compulsory for railways in Italy,
France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland
and Austria, whereas digit coding is compulsory for all European
railways.
Key
wagon symbols
Symbol
for wagons that comply with the norms of construction
and gauge profile on international traffic. For
private wagons alone, the presence of an asterisk
indicates that, following special agreements, some
commercial restrictions apply.
Symbol
for wagons which do not comply with RIV's construction
regulations, but are admitted on the lines of the Networks
indicated on the mark. For private wagons alone, the presence
of an asterisk indicates that some commercial restrictions,
following special agreements, apply.
Symbol
relating to the tare weight of wagons.
Symbol
for the capacity of tank wagons.
Symbol
for the surface of the wagon floor.
Symbol
for the useful loading length.
Symbol
for the wagon length, including bumpers.
Symbol
for the minimum curve radius.
Symbol
for wagons whose bogies can only transit on mobile
bridges with an inclination angle of less than 3°
30'.
Supplementary
symbol for wagons admitted for circulation on British
Railways lines.
Symbol
which identifies private wagons or those hired privately.
Symbol
for wagons complying with standard international regulations
("unified wagons").
Symbol
for standard unified wagons, built to ORE's design.
N.B. The markings relating to loading limits and concentrated
wagons are illustrated separately
Symbol
for wagons that comply with the norms of construction
and gauge profile on international traffic. For
private wagons alone, the presence of an asterisk
indicates that, following special agreements, some
commercial restrictions apply.
Symbol
for wagons which do not comply with RIV's construction
regulations, but are admitted on the lines of the Networks
indicated on the mark. For private wagons alone, the presence
of an asterisk indicates that some commercial restrictions,
following special agreements, apply.
Symbol
relating to the tare weight of wagons.
Symbol
for the capacity of tank wagons.
Symbol
for the surface of the wagon floor.
Symbol
for the useful loading length.
Symbol
for the wagon length, including bumpers.
Symbol
for the minimum curve radius.
Symbol
for wagons whose bogies can only transit on mobile
bridges with an inclination angle of less than 3°
30'.
Supplementary
symbol for wagons admitted for circulation on British
Railways lines.
Symbol
which identifies private wagons or those hired privately.
Symbol
for wagons complying with standard international regulations
("unified wagons").
Symbol
for standard unified wagons, built to ORE's design.