Bahntechnik: Beschleunigte Genehmigungsverfahren durch TSI-Neuerungen

The new Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) mean that manufacturers of rail vehicles will be faced with changes with immediate effect. Stefan Pöting, Head of Railway Technology at TÜV NORD, explains the most important points.  

The changes affect all TSIs, i.e. energy, rolling stock, infrastructure and signaling technology. They are partly formal, partly substantive, says Stefan Pöting. “The approval process will change fundamentally in some places because the assignment of topics and the verification process are now different.” This will speed up some of these processes. The aim of these changes is to improve safety and clarify technical aspects.

Two examples of changes:

• The current GSM-R train radio standard is being replaced by the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS). This 5G mobile radio standard will transmit both voice and data on railway-specific frequency bands. This new standard has higher data security and is compatible with the future Europe-wide train control system ETCS and automatic train operation (ATO) systems.
• Until now, passenger coaches had to undergo two assessment processes: a Designated Body (DeBo) for national requirements and a Notified Body (NoBo) for Europe-wide requirements. Similar to the procedure already established for freight wagons, the Loc&Pas TSI now specifies requirements that, if met, allow passenger coaches to be used across borders in Europe without the need to check the national requirements in each country.

“In particular, the complex transitional regulations at requirements level in the rolling stock subsystem and the introduction of system versions in the CCS subsystem (train protection, train control, signaling) present applicants with new challenges,” says Stefan Pöting. “However, our expert/inspector teams are very familiar with the new TSI regulations. With our Notified Bodies, we cover all new requirements in the approval process in Europe.”

New approval processes must be carried out in accordance with the new TSI rules following their publication or the 20-day transition period; in the case of ongoing procedures, it depends on the progress of the process whether the previously valid rules will continue to be applied or whether the approval process must be restarted in accordance with the new rules.

Further information on the rail technology division at TÜV NORD can be found at: www.tuev-nord.de/bahntechnik

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