The system of German railway wagon classes (Wagengattungen) was introduced in Germany in 1902 and 1905 by the Prussian state railways based on their system of norms, and was soon taken up by the other state railways (Länderbahnen). On the formation of the Deutsche Reichsbahn, the system became mandatory across the whole of Germany. In the course of the years more and more adjustments to it were made. It was finally replaced between 1964 and 1968 when the two German railway administrations - the Deutsche Bundesbahn and the Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany) - adopted the internationally standard UIC classifications for passenger coaches and goods wagons. Today, the system is still regularly being used for narrow gauge goods wagons, because these were not generally given UIC designations, as well as on many historical vehicles.
The wagon class comprises one or more main class letters (Hauptgattungszeichen) (in capitals, sometimes with lower case letters in between) and possibly several secondary class letters (Nebengattungszeichen) (always in lower case). Combinations of several main class letters are possible, e.g. on passenger coaches with different accommodation classes.
Main class letters
In order to distinguish bogie wagons, the last letter of the main class was doubled to begin with, e.g. BC → BCC, G → GG (exceptions were the Post, Salon, Schlaf und Speise where there was no difference). From 1928 the system was changed on passenger coaches. Instead of doubling the letters, the number of axles was indicated where it was greater than two. So an eight-wheeled BC coach was no longer classified as a BCC but as a BC4. That now made it possible to distinguish passenger coaches with three axles or more. For goods wagons, the doubling of letters was retained. Only on Dgw and ZM wagons was the differentiation dropped, whilst the BT, H, Pwg, V and VO wagons had no bogie variants anyway.
Period When Valid(if limited)Meaning APassenger coach 1st class ADPassenger coach 1st class with Luggage Compartment, specially designed for the Rheingold BPassenger coach 2nd class BB1928 to 1938Former BC. 3rd class (C) compartments subsequently upholstered for 2nd class BTfrom ?Groß Behälter-Tragwagen. Large container-carrying flat wagon. Cto 1956Passenger coach 3rd class CC1928 to 1938Former CD. 4th class (D) compartments subsequently fitted with benches for 3rd class. Dto 1928Passenger coach 4th class Dienstfrom ?Dienstwagen. Departmental wagon. D...from 1952 (DR)Doppelstockwagen. Double-decker coach (only in combination with B, C, Pw) DGBfrom 1957 (DR)Doppelstock-Gliederzug, 2nd class. Double-decker articulated train, 2nd class DGRfrom 1958 (DR)Buffet car for the double-decker articulated train Dgwfrom ? (DB)Dienstgüterwagen. Departmental wagon. GGedeckter Güterwagen. Covered van. HHto 1923Langholzwagenpaar. Log wagon pair. Hfrom 1924Cradle wagon. Type of Langholzwagen or log wagon. KKlappdeckelwagen. Lidded wagon. K…from ?Narrow gauge passenger coach (only in combination with A, B, C, D, Pw, Post) ...Kfrom 1954 (DR)Passenger coach with Küche (kitchen). (not in combination mit WL, WR) ...L1933 to 1956Lokalbahnwagen. Branch line coach. (only in combination with B, C, Pw, Post) L...from 1957 (DB)Lokalbahnwagen. Branch line coach. (only in combination with B, C, Pw, Post) ...Lfrom 1956 (DB)Liegewagen. Couchette coach. ...L(Z)from 1954 (DR)Coach with Lautsprechern für Zugfunk (loudspeakers for train communication). M…from 1943(DR only to 1954)Provisional wartime coach (only in combination with B, C, Pw) Mfrom 1954 (DR)Passenger coach of goods van design Mfrom about 1957 (DR)Militärwagen? Military van - a covered van with special equipment for carrying troops N1911 to 1921Covered van or combination van with air brakes or pipes for use in fast trains OOffener Güterwagen. Open wagons. Pto 1927Packwagen. Luggage van (not used for passenger coaches with a luggage compartment which had secondary letter p instead, see below). Pfrom 1928Privatwagen. Private wagon. PostPostwagen. Post van (to 1927 not used for passenger and goods wagons with a post compartment, which had secondary letters post instead, see below). Pwfrom 1928Gepäckwagen (Packwagen). Luggage van. Pwgfrom 1933Gepäckwagen für Güterzüge. Luggage van for goods trains. Guards van. Rfrom 1914Rungenwagen. Stake wagon. …Rfrom 1956 (DB)Wagon with restaurant section (not in combination with WR) SSchienenwagen. Flat wagon (e.g. for carrying rails). S...from 1928(DR only to 1945)Sonderreisezugwagen (special passenger coach) for FD trains (only in combination with A, B, C, Post, Pw, WR). ...Sfrom 1954 (DR)Sonderwagen. Special wagon. Sdrfrom 1945 (DR)Sonderreisezugwagen. Special passenger coach. SalonSalonwagen. Saloon car. Schlafto 1927Schlafwagen. Sleeper. Speiseto 1927Speisewagen. Dining or restaurant car. (not used for passenger coaches with dining section, which used secondary letters speise instead, see below). Tfrom 1943Thermoswagen. Kühlwagen. Refrigerator van. VVerschlagwagen. Livestock van for small livestock e.g. sheep and poultry. VOto 1921Offener Viehwagen. Open livestock wagon for large livestock, e.g. cattle and horses. WGfrom ? (DB)Gesellschaftwagen. Company coach. WL…from 1928Schlafwagen − "wagon-lit". Sleeper. (only in combination with A, B, C) WRfrom 1928Speisewagen − "wagon-restaurant". Dining or restaurant car. XDepartmental open wagon. Zfrom 1928Zellenwagen. Prison van? Zfrom 1951 (DR)Zisternenwagen. Tank wagon. ZM1945 to 1950Tank wagon for the transportation of crude oil.
Secondary letters for passenger coaches
Period valid(if limited)Meaningbfrom 1957 (DB)With additional brake pipes (Bremsleitung) and electrical control wiring (omitted on railbus classes and with f)cfrom 1954 (DR)Passenger coach of goods van design (only as Mci, previously MCi)d1928 to 1937Former 4th class D, now used unchanged as a higher travel classeto 1927Passenger coach with 2 decks (Etagen)efrom 1954 (DR)from 1957 (DB)Electric train heating (elektrischer Zugheizung) (DB: omitted with m)(e)from 1957 (DB) Electric heating (elektrischer Heizleitung)ffrom 1957 (DB)Driver's cab (Führerstand) on shuttle trainsgto 1927Luggage van only suitable for use in goods trains (Güterzüge) (only in combination with P)g1928 to 1956Former covered van (gedeckter Güterwagen) form passenger transport (only as Dgi or Cgi)gfrom 1957 (DB)Rubber communication walls (Gummiwülste) instead of bellows (only in combination with ü or y)from 1962 (DR)Rubber communication gangways (Gummiwulstübergängen)k1928 to 1953 (DR)1928 to 1956 (DB)Kitchen (Küche) (omitted on WL, WR)krfrom 1928Sick bay (Krankenabteil) or with compartment which can be converted into a sick bayiThrough coach with open gangwayslfrom 1957 (DB)Light (leichte), eight-wheeled fast-stopping or passenger train coach of standard design with less than 30 t dead weightmfrom 1957 (DB)Length over 24 m, upholstered 2nd class and electric heating or heating pipesofrom 1954 (DR)Stove heating (Ofenheizung)pto 1927Passenger coach with luggage compartment (Gepäckraum)postto 1927Passenger coach or luggage van with post (Post) compartment rfrom 1967 (DR)Passenger coach with buffet facilitysfrom 1957 (DB)Closed side entrance (Seitengang) in 1st class or luggage vanon WL: Sleeper with individual compartments, in combination with i or y: speiseto 1927Passenger coach with dining area (Speiseraum)trfrom 1928suitable for heavy hand luggage (Traglasten) or equipped with a heavy hand luggage sectionu1933 to 1937Converted (umgerüstete) former 3rd class (C), now upholstered and operated as 2nd class (B) andformer 4th class (D), now fitted with benches and operated as 3rd class (C)üBogie coach with corridor and bellows gangways (Faltenbalgübergängen) (for express train coaches)üpfrom 1939(DB only to 1956)Bogie coach with corridor and bellows gangways (Faltenbalgübergängen) (for passenger and fast-stopping train coachesyfrom 1957 (DB)Bogie coach with corridor and bellows gangways (Faltenbalgübergängen) (for passenger and fast-stopping train coachesv1939 to ? from 1962 (DB)Passenger coach with temporary wooden benches Priority compartments (Vorzugsabteile) (more legroom)zfrom 1962 (DB)air conditioning
Secondary letters for goods wagons
Description of the maximum load
Four- and six-wheeled wagons
for ClassesPeriod validMeaningmallto 1910At least (mindestens) 15 ton maximum load1911 to 1923At least 15 ton but less than 20 ton maximum loadmmallAt least 20 ton maximum loadmG, H, K, O, R, S, V, Xfrom 1924At least (from 1937 exactly) 20 ton maximum loadmmG, K, O, R, Xfrom 1937more than 20 ton maximum loadwallto 1923Less than (weniger) 10 ton maximum loadG, H, O, S, T, V, Xfrom 1924Less than 15 ton maximum load and not tippable
Wagons with eight wheels or more (including HH wagons)
for ClassesPeriod validMeaningmGG, HH, OO, SSto 1910At least (mindestens) 20 ton maximum load 1911 to 1923At least 30 ton maximum load SS1933 to 1950At least 50 ton maximum load (omitted on SSt and SSy, see below)from 1950 (DB)At least 35 ton maximum load (omitted on SSt and SSy, see below)wGG, HH, OO, SSto 1923Less than (weniger) 20 ton maximum loadGG, KK, OOfrom 1924Less than 30 ton maximum loadSSLess than 35 ton maximum load
Description of loading length and loading area
for ClassesPeriod validMeaningkSfrom 1924Loading length shorter (kürzer) than 13 mSSLoading length shorter than 15 mlall except SSto 1910At least 7 m loading length (Ladelänge) and 17 m2 loading areaall except R and SS1911 to 1923At least 8 m loading length SSto 1923More than 12 m loading length (Ladelänge)1924 to 1932More than 15 m loading length (omitted on SSt und SSy, see below)from 1933More than 18 m loading length (omitted on SSt und SSy, see below)G1924 to 1932At least 24 m2 loading area (Ladefläche)from 1933At least 26 m2 loading area Kfrom 1960 (DB)At least 33 m2 loading area Ofrom 1951At least 10 m loading length (Ladelänge)Xfrom 1951 (DB)At least 8 m loading length
Description of features of importance for train formation
for ClassesPeriod validMeaningbG, R, Tfrom 1933Ferry wagons (Fährbootwagen) for German-English ferry services (with smaller loading gauge)eallfrom 1924Electric heating pipes (elektrischer Heizleitung)eeallfrom 1933(DR only to 1950)Electric heating pipes (elektrischer Heizleitung) and electric heating (elektrischer Heizung)fall1924 to 1932Ferry wagons (Fährbootwagen) for German-English ferry services (with smaller loading gauge) hall except ZMfrom 1924Steam heating pipes (heizleitung)hhG, GG, Tfrom 1933Steam heating pipes (heizleitung) and steam heating (Dampfheizung)nG, V, VOto 1923Air brakes or air pipes. Steam pipes or other equipment that make it suitable for use as a luggage van or in passenger trains (from 1911 some formed the main letter class N, see above)qallfrom 1951 (DR)no through couplings (0-0 wagon or 'Null-Null-Wagen'), maximum load reducedrallfrom 1924Wagon with exchangeable wheelsets for transiting to Russian (russische) (omitted on SSy, see below)sG, R, SSy, T1933 to 1950Suitable for fast (schnell) trains running at up to 90 km/hGG, RR, TTSuitable for trains running at up to 120 km/hG, R, SSy, Tfrom 1951 (DR)Suitable for trains running at up to 100 km/hGG, TTSuitable for trains running at up to 120 km/hallfrom 1951 (DB)Suitable for trains running at up to 100 km/huXto 1914Unsuitable (untauglich) for trains used as public transport[u]O, HH, S/SS, Xto 1921Unusable (unbrauchbar) for the loading of military vehiclesuall1939 to 1948Unusuitable (ungeeignet) for military transportationGto 1948 (DB)Unusuitable (ungeeignet) for passenger transportationOsides not removable? ('nicht abbordbar')
Description of individual wagon classes
Classes G/GG and N