From 27 till 28 September 2022, an expert meeting of the OSJD Commission on Infrastructure and Rolling Stock on sub-topic 5.2 “Wagons” of subject No. 5 “Rolling stock for railways.

Technical requirements for its elements” was held in the OSJD Committee in Warsaw using the videoconference mode, in which representatives of the following OSJD railways took an active part: AZD CJSC, BC, MAV Co., “KTZ NC” JSC, LTG, RZD JSC, “ZSSK Cargo” JSC and “Ukrzaliznytsia” JSC, as well as the OSJD affiliated enterprise – RUT (MIIT) and the OSJD Committee.

OSJD Committee Secretary Attila Kiss and Chairman of the OSJD Commission on Infrastructure and Rolling Stock Radovan Vopalecky in their welcoming addresses to the meeting participants noted the importance of considering this subject for the development of technical interoperability of rolling stock on the railways of the OSJD member countries.

They also wished fruitful work and expressed gratitude to the meeting participants for their assistance and support.

One of the main issues on the agenda of the meeting, on which an active and detailed discussion took place, was the continuation of work on updating leaflets O+R 516 “Railway rolling stock. Technical requirements as for rolling stock for international traffic between the 1435-mm and 1520-mm gauge railways of the OSJD member countries. Freight wagons” (II edition dated 24 April 2015) and O+R 520 “Railway rolling stock. Technical requirements as for rolling stock for inter- national traffic between the 1435-mm and 1520-mm gauge railways of the OSJD member countries. Passenger Coaches” (II edition dated 24 April 2015), the leading duty holder of which was “Ukrzaliznytsia” JSC.

These leaflets contain a set of basic technical requirements for both freight wagons and passenger coaches, which must be observed in international traffic between the railways with a gauge of 1520 mm and 1435 mm of the OSJD member countries and apply to newly built wagons and coaches.

The Leaflets set out in detail the general requirements for wagons and coaches, their mechanical parts, reliability, inscriptions and signs, layouts, internal equipment, climate control systems, fire safety, power supply systems and electrical equipment, control and diagnostic systems.

Taking into account the provisions of the Leaflets, the matters related to the status and conditions for the admission and operation of wagons and coaches are resolved on the basis of bilateral or multilateral agreements.

After discussion, the meeting participants decided to agree on the updated drafts of these leaflets with their subsequent submission for approval at the next meeting of the CGD and, accordingly, the experts proposed for the OSJD Commission on Infrastructure and Rolling Stock to cancel the second editions of leaflets dated 24.04.2015 at the annual meeting (8-10 November 2022, OSJD Committee, Warsaw).

The next important issue on the agenda was the development of information material on the subject “Experience in the use of automatic gauge changing systems” and the continuation of work on updating Leaflet O 592 “Maximum gross weight of containers allowed for transportation on the flat wagons of the existing models”, where the Byelorussian Railway appeared as a leading duty holder.

In addition to the information material on the subject “Experience in the use of automatic gauge changing systems”, the delegation of the Byelorussian Railways presented material in the format of a video film and a presentation entitled “General Description of Talgo Coaches”. The video film demonstrated testing of the Talgo coaches in motion and the operation of the trans- fer facility, which makes it possible to automatically change the width of the wheel sets from the 1520-mm track gauge to the 1435-mm track gauge and vice versa. The facility is installed at the Brest station and it makes it possible to use of modern innovative rolling stock with automatic gauge changing technology in order to offer passengers a more convenient service. As the train passes through the facility, the water is abundantly applied to the rails to make the glide movement of the train smooth, which ensures minimal negative impact on the environment.

The participants in the expert meeting exchanged views on the possible updating of Leaflet O 592 “Maximum gross weight of containers allowed for transportation on the flat wagons of the existing models”. Everyone agreed that since no proposals and comments had been received, there was no need for a more detailed consideration of this Leaflet, as a result of which a general agreement was reached on the application of the Leaflet in the version approved at CGD meeting XXXVI (19-23 April 2021, OSJD Committee, in videoconferencing mode).

The meeting participants also discussed a number of issues related to the Work Plan for the next year and the use of the logged extranet part of the OSJD Website in the work of the OSJD Commission on Infrastructure and Rolling Stock.