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International Union of Railways

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International Union of Railways
Union internationale des chemins de fer
AbbreviationUIC
Formation17 October 1922; 102 years ago (1922-10-17)
Legal statusActive
PurposePromote rail transport at world level
Meet the challenges of mobility and sustainable development
Headquarters16 rue Jean Rey
Paris, France
Membership (2021)
204
Chairman
Dr Alan Beroud (PKP)[1]
Vice Chairman
Mohamed Rabie Khlie (ONCF)[1]
Director General
François Davenne (UIC)[1]
Coordinator
Karine Van Ceunebroeck[1]
Websiteuic.org Edit this at Wikidata

The International Union of Railways (French: Union internationale des chemins de fer, UIC) is an international rail transport industry body.

History

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The railways of Europe had originated during the nineteenth century as many separate concerns across numerous nations; this led to disparate and conflicting standards emerging and thus onto incompatibility. One prominent example was the British Gauge War, during which different railway companies were laying different track gauges across Great Britain, causing inefficiency wherever a break of gauge occurred, prior to an Act of Parliament the issue in 1846 by establishing one standard gauge of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm).[2][3] The early effort towards standardisation somewhat influenced railways aboard as well, however various other track gauges persisted and developed across the world; even through to the twenty first century, incompatible track gauges, let alone other issues, persisted to hinder interoperability efforts.[4][5][6][7]

Several key events happened during the early twentieth century; in the aftermath of the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles, numerous border changes were enacted across Europe, which greatly impacted several formerly united national railway networks while compelling several others together in some cases. It was early into the interwar period that the UIC was established on 17 October 1922 with the principal aim of standardising practices across the railway industry and expanding international cooperation in the sector.[8]

The UIC has introduced numerous classification systems over the decades. During the 1970s, the UIC Franc currency equivalent was established for the purpose of easing international ticket revenue sharing;[9] it was replaced by the European Currency Unit on 1 January 1990.[10] UIC classification and UIC Country Codes allowed precise determination of rolling stock capabilities and ownership;[11][12] furthermore, wagons have been assigned their own unique UIC wagon numbers.[13][14]

Over time, the UIC has formed various partnerships and cooperative frameworks with other multinational railway authorities, such as the European Union Agency for Railways.[15] The UIC has played a leading role in the development of Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs), which have gradually taken over from older standards developed by various national railway entities.[16][17][18]

During the 1990s, the GSM-R radio telecommunication system was formulated as an international interoperability specification covering voice and signalling systems for railway communications.[19][20] GSM-R, which is built on GSM technology, was designed to be a cost efficient digital replacement for various existing incompatible in-track cable and analogue railway radio networks.[21][22] The specification for GSM-R is maintained via the UIC project European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). By June 2023, GSM-R had been implemented across roughly 130,000km of track, along with 90,000 cab radios and 20,000 datalink radio units.[23]

A more capable next-generation radio, the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) program, is under development as of 2023.[24][23] In addition to eventually replacing GSM-R, it will provide new capabilities that require more rapid data exchange, such as live video transmission.[25][23]

Mission

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The UIC's mission is "to promote rail transport at world level and meet the challenges of mobility and sustainable development."[26]

Objectives

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The UIC's main objectives[26] are to:

  • Facilitate the sharing of best practices among members (benchmarking)
  • Support members in their efforts to develop new business and new areas of activities
  • Propose new ways to improve technical and environmental performance
  • Promote interoperability, create new world standards for railways (including common standards with other transport modes)
  • Develop centres of competence (High Speed, Safety, Security, e-Business, ...)

Members

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When founded in 1922 the UIC had 51 members from 29 countries, including Japan and China. They were soon[when?] joined by members from the Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa.[specify] As of February 2024, the UIC has 219 members[27] across five continents.[26] Of these there are:

  • 62 active members (usually companies located in Europe, East Asia, South Asia and Middle East):
  1. Austria ÖBB
  2. Belgium Infrabel and SNCB
  3. Bosnia and Herzegovina ŽFBH
  4. Bulgaria BDZ and NRIC
  5. China CR and NRA
  6. Croatia HŽ Infrastruktura
  7. Czech Republic ČD and Správa železnic
  8. Denmark DSB
  9. Finland FTIA
  10. France SNCF
  11. Germany DB
  12. Greece Hellenic Train and OSE
  13. Hungary Gysev/Raaberbahn and MÁV
  14. India Indian Railways
  15. Iran RAI
  16. Iraq IRR
  17. Republic of Ireland CIÉ
  18. Israel Israel Railways
  19. Italy FS
  20. Japan JR East
  21. Kazakhstan KTZ
  22. South Korea Korail and Korea National Railway
  23. Latvia LDZ
  24. Lithuania LTG
  25. Mongolia UBTZ
  26. Morocco ONCF
  27. Netherlands NS and ProRail
  28. Norway Bane Nor
  29. Poland PKP
  30. Portugal CP and IP SA
  31. Romania CFR Călători, CFR Marfă and CFR SA
  32. Saudi Arabia SAR
  33. Serbia IŽS
  34. Slovakia ŽSR, ZSSK and ZSSK Cargo
  35. Slovenia SŽ
  36. Spain Adif and Renfe
  37. Sweden Green Cargo, SJ and Trafikverket
  38. Switzerland BLS and SBB CFF FFS
  39. Syria CFS
  40. Taiwan THSRC
  41. Turkey TCDD and TCDDT
  42. Ukraine UZ
  43. United Kingdom Eurostar I and Network Rail
  • 79 affiliate members (usually companies located in Africa, Oceania, South America and Southeast Asia, or universities and organisations in Europe and Asia, or government authorities):
  1. Algeria ANESRIF
  2. Argentina ALAF and JST
  3. Australia NTC, TFNSW, Queensland TMR, Victoria DOTP and Western Australia PTA
  4. Austria BR ICS and Ubimet
  5. Belgium BCC
  6. Brazil ANPTrilhos
  7. Canada RAC
  8. China BJTU, CARS, CRDC, CRECC, CRRC Zhuzhou Institute, CRRC Qingdao Sifang RSRI, CRSC Research & Design Institute, SWJTU and Tongji University
  9. Colombia ANi
  10. France Ermewa, Europe Express, Lisea, Région Grand Est, Systra and TELT
  11. Gabon ARTF
  12. Germany Bodensee-Schiffsbetriebe and OPTIMA-TOURS
  13. Hungary ÉKM, FoxRail and VPE
  14. India NCRTC and NHSRCL
  15. Iran Isfahan Kafriz
  16. Italy NTV
  17. Japan JR RTRI
  18. Jordan Aqaba Railway Corporation and JHR
  19. South Korea KRRI
  20. Latvia RB Rail
  21. Mexico ARTF
  22. Mongolia MTZ
  23. Netherlands Eurail and Hitrail
  24. Niger COGEFER
  25. Norway Entur and Norske Tog
  26. Philippines DOT
  27. Poland IK
  28. Portugal Medway
  29. Romania AFER
  30. Saudi Arabia TGA
  31. Senegal CFS and SENTER
  32. Serbia Eurorail Logistics and ŽS
  33. South Africa RSR and TUT
  34. Spain FCH and FFE
  35. Sweden ASTOC, Jernhusen and Stena Line
  36. Switzerland Alliance Swisspass and Eurofima
  37. Thailand DRT
  38. United Arab Emirates MOEI
  39. United Kingdom ATOC, BCRRE, GCRE, Harsco, HS2 Limited and RSSB
  40. United States AAR and FRA
  • 61 associate members (usually companies in Africa and North America):
  1. Afghanistan ARA[28]
  2. Algeria SNTF
  3. Argentina FASE
  4. Armenia SCR
  5. Australia Sydney Trains
  6. Austria GKB and WLB
  7. Azerbaijan ADY
  8. Belgium Thalys
  9. Bosnia and Herzegovina ŽRS
  10. Bulgaria BRC
  11. Burkina Faso SOPAFERB
  12. Cameroon Camrail
  13. Canada Via Rail
  14. Chile EFE
  15. Ivory Coast SIPF and Sitarail
  16. Croatia HŽ Cargo and HŽPP
  17. Czech Republic Student Agency
  18. Egypt ENR
  19. Ethiopia EDR
  20. Finland VR
  21. France Getlink
  22. Gabon Setrag
  23. Germany ERC.D
  24. Georgia (country) Georgian Railway
  25. Greece Attica Group
  26. Hungary GYSEV Cargo
  27. Italy Trenord
  28. Japan JR Central, JR Freight and JR West
  29. Kenya KRC
  30. Luxembourg CFL and CFL Cargo
  31. Malaysia KTM
  32. Mauritania SNIM
  33. Montenegro ŽPCG
  34. North Macedonia ZRSM Infrastructure
  35. Oman Oman Rail
  36. Philippines PNR
  37. Romania CTV, GFR and Unicom
  38. Senegal GTS
  39. Serbia Srbija Kargo and Srbijavoz
  40. Spain ETS, Euskotren, FGC and LFP
  41. Switzerland RHB
  42. Taiwan TRC
  43. Thailand SRT
  44. Tunisia SNCFT
  45. United Arab Emirates Etihad Rail
  46. United Kingdom NI Railways
  47. United States Amtrak and CHSRA
  48. Vietnam VNR
  • 17 suspended members:
  1. Belarus BCh
  2. Democratic Republic of the Congo ONATRA
  3. Indonesia DJKA, KAI and MASKA
  4. Libya Libya Railway
  5. Malaysia MyHSR Corp and RAC
  6. North Macedonia ZRSM Transport
  7. Russia FPC, MIIT, NIIAS, RZD, RZDstroy and VNIIZHT
  8. Sudan Sudan Railways Corporation
  9. Syria Syrian Hedjaz Railways

On 12 November 2010, the UIC opened an African regional office in Tunis, Tunisia with the support of SNCFT.[29]

On 9 March 2022, the UIC suspended all member companies from Russia and Belarus, following Russian invasion of Ukraine.[30]

Standard terminology

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In order to provide a common understanding and reduce potential confusion, the UIC has established standard international railway terminology and a trilingual (English-French-German) thesaurus of terms. The thesaurus was the result of cooperation with the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT/CEMT) and was published in 1995.[31]

Classification of railway vehicles

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Main articles: UIC classification of goods wagons, UIC classification of locomotive axle arrangements, UIC classification of railway coaches, UIC identification marking for tractive stock, and UIC wagon numbers

The UIC has established systems for the classification of locomotives and their axle arrangements, coaches and goods wagons.

Some UIC regulations

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UIC plays an important role in standardization of railway parts, data and terminology, though the degree to which its standards have been adopted by its members varies. Therefore, UIC codes (also known as UIC leaflet) are developed since the beginning of UIC's work. A new term for these UIC leaflets is used by UIC for better understanding: International Railway Solution (IRS).[32]

Some UIC codes are:

  • UIC 568 The 13-corded standardized connection cable with connector is used to transmit data and commands between the locomotive and the carriages of a passenger train.
  • UIC 592-2 Large containers for transport on wagons – Technical conditions to be fulfilled by large containers accepted for use in international traffic. Describes the classes and categories of large containers, handling characteristics, identification markings, and special conditions applying to large tank containers.
  • UIC 592-3 Large containers (CT), swap bodies (CM) and transport frames for horizontal transhipment (CA) – Standard report on acceptance tests.
  • UIC 592-4 Swap bodies for grab handling and spreader gripping – Technical conditions. Swap bodies are the removable superstructures of road transport vehicles. Their dimensions and some of their fittings are standardised, particularly dimensions, strength parameters and securing devices, of the road vehicle, the wagon and transhipment arrangements (grab-handling grooves, lower securing parts and, in special cases, upper securing parts).
  • UIC 596-5 Transport of road vehicles on wagons – Technical organisation – Conveyance of semi-trailers with P coding or N coding on recess wagons. This leaflet sets out regulations and provisions for semi-trailers with normal road transport characteristics for conveyance on fixed-recess carrier wagons. The provisions are valid for semi-trailers, gantry equipment/industrial trucks with grab handles, recess wagon types 1a and 1b in accordance with UIC Leaflet 571–4.
  • UIC 596-6 Conveyance of road vehicles on wagons – Technical organisation – Conditions for coding combined-transport load units and combined-transport lines. The leaflet sets out the coding and organisation of loading units in respect of road vehicles on wagons, designed to ensure compatibility of loading units (LU) with the permissible profile for combined transport lines. The provisions aim to facilitate LU identification to speed-up international traffic movements. They are applicable to semi-trailers, swap bodies, roller units loaded on wagons and bogies in combined transport operations.
  • FU-7100[33] Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) User Requirements Specification. Defines a set of technology independent user requirements in the form of individual applications. Each application has been defined to provide or support an identified communications need that is considered necessary for current and future railway operation.

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d "Executive Board UIC". 31 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Railway Regulation (Gauge) Act 1846" (PDF). railwaysarchive.co.uk.
  3. ^ Rolt 1989, pp. 202–203.
  4. ^ "What are the consequences of Europe's different railway gauges?". railfreight.com. 21 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Why the end of the gauge war didn't standardise Britain's railway". Network Rail. 20 May 2021.
  6. ^ Maisel, Adam; Keturakis, Laurynas (4 February 2018). "Baltic Trainspotting: Railways and NATO's Logistics problem in Northeastern Europe". Modern War Institute.
  7. ^ "Harmonising the future of railway operations". globalrailwayreview.com. 29 December 2006.
  8. ^ "UIC since 1922". UIC – International union of railways. Archived from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  9. ^ de Fontgalland, Bernard (8 November 1984). The World Railway System. Cambridge University Press. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-521-24541-8.
  10. ^ "Intercontainer opts for the ECU". Rail International. 21: 34. 1990.
  11. ^ The Railway Data File. Leicester: Silverdale, 2000. p. 52. ISBN 1-85605-499-3.
  12. ^ Peck C.B., Locomotive cyclopedia of American practice, 1950-52, Association of American Railroads Mechanical Division, Simmons-Boardman Pub. Co., 1950, p. 449.
  13. ^ UTP Marking 2015, Uniform Technical Prescription Applicable to Vehicle Numbers and linked alphabetical marking on the bodywork: THE RAILWAY VEHICLE MARKING, Applicable from 1.1.2015, retrieved from: OTIF page Prescriptions and Other Rules
  14. ^ Leaflet 419-2, Analytical numbering of international freight trains, Obligatory, 2nd edition, November 2008 - Translation, 1/09 (issued 1 February 2009), ISBN 978-2-7461-1957-4
  15. ^ "UIC and European Union Agency for Railways sign coordination framework". globalrailwayreview.com. 2 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Train braking performance determination". globalrailwayreview.com. 31 May 2005.
  17. ^ Paukert, Hans (3 April 2007). "UIC works to reduce train noise with composite brake shoes". globalrailwayreview.com.
  18. ^ "Fuelling the debate on diesel engine emissions". globalrailwayreview.com. 28 May 2008.
  19. ^ "GSM-R: where are we today?". globalrailwayreview.com. 3 November 2005.
  20. ^ Kessell, Clive (30 January 2019). "GSM-R: a migration strategy to its successor?". Rail Engineer. Archived from the original on 22 February 2019.
  21. ^ "Siemens Wins Belgian GSM-R". Light Reading. 14 May 2003. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  22. ^ "The way from the idea to GSM-R". UIC. 13 March 2013. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  23. ^ a b c Mandoc, Dan (2 June 2023). "The second phase of the FRMCS introduction begins". globalrailwayreview.com.
  24. ^ Mandoc, Dan; Evanghelou, Jean-Michel (4 May 2020). "FRMCS: More than just a successive replacement for GSM-R". Global Railway Review. Russell Publishing Ltd.
  25. ^ Smith, Kevin (1 March 2017). "Beyond GSM-R: the future of railway radio". International Rail Journal. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Inc. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017.
  26. ^ a b c UIC Overview as at 12 March 2009.
  27. ^ "Vademecum". UIC. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  28. ^ "Afghanistan becomes UIC member | Pajhwok Afghan News". pajhwok.com. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013.
  29. ^ "UIC Office for Africa opened in Tunis". Railways Africa. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
  30. ^ "The international railway community shows solidarity with the people of Ukraine". UIC. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  31. ^ "Transport Thesaurus". UIC. 1995. Archived from the original on 6 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  32. ^ Magnien, Airy. "UIC e-news". UIC. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  33. ^ FRMCS Functional Working Group (19 February 2020). "Future Railway Mobile Communication System User Requirements Specification" (PDF). UIC.

Bibliography

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