This list contains the UIC classification of goods wagons and their meanings. The description is made up of a category letter (in capitals) and usually several index letters (in lower case).

The international system for the classification of goods wagons was agreed by the Union internationale des chemins de fer (UIC) in 1965 and subsequently introduced into member countries.Standard identification of rolling-stock Railway Gazette 17 December 1965 page 970 For example it was adopted in Germany on 1 January 1968 replacing the previous German railway wagon classes that originated as early as 1905. The UIC classification has been amended several times since it began.

Not all wagons are given UIC designations. In Germany the few remaining guards vans and narrow gauge goods wagons have retained their original classifications.

Category letters

The following table contains the complete list of standard category letters. Letters A, B, C, D, P and W are reserved for coaches. However, also S is used for coaches and this doubles a goods wagons class.COMMISSION DECISION of 11 August 2006 concerning the technical specification of interoperability relating to the subsystem ‘Traffic Operation and Management’ of the trans-European conventional rail system (notified under document number C(2006) 3593) (Text with EEA relevance) (2006/920/EC) These are covered in detail in the article on UIC classification of railway coaches. Each goods wagons type is given a type number, whose first digit forms the fifth digit of the 12-digit UIC wagon number.

Class Wagon type 1st digit of type no. (5th digit of UIC no.) E Ordinary open high-sided wagon 5 F Special open high-sided wagon 6 G Ordinary covered wagon 1 H Special covered wagon 2 I Refrigerated van 8 K Ordinary flat wagon with separate axles 3 L Special flat wagon with separate axles 4 O Open multi-purpose wagon (composite open high-sided flat wagon) 3 R Ordinary flat wagon with bogies 3 S Special flat wagon with bogies 4 T Goods wagon with opening roof 0 (before 1988: 5) U Special wagons 9 Z Tank wagon 7

Index letters

International index letters Classes Meaning a E, F, G, H, I, T, U, Z 4 wheelsets L, O 3 wheelsets S 6 wheelsets aa E, F, G, H, T, U, Z ≥ 6 wheelsets L ≥ 4 wheelsets S ≥ 8 wheelsets b F Wagon with separate wheelsetsi.e. not a bogie wagon and a volume greater than G Wagon with separate wheelsets and of length or more and loading area H Wagon with separate wheelsets and of length , volume, may be less for ferry wagons (f) I Wagon separate wheelsets and loading area T Wagon with separate wheelsets and length over G, T Bogie wagon with loading length of or more H Bogie wagon with loading length K Bogie wagon with long stakes L, S Transporter for medium-sized containers bb H Bogie wagon with loading length of or more I Wagon with separate wheelsets and loading area of or more or more H Bogie wagon with loading length of or more c E Discharging trap on the wagon floor F Controllable gravity discharging wagon. Underside of floor ≥ above top of rails H, T Door in front wall I Meat hooks L, S Cradle U, Z Compressed air or air blast discharging system cc F Controllable gravity discharge hopper. Underside of floor < above top of rails H Door in end wall and interior equipment for the transportation of motor vehicles d H Floor trap I For sea fish L, S For transportation of motor vehicles on one level T, U Controllable gravity discharge hopper, Underside of floor ≥ above top of rails dd T, U Controllable gravity discharge hopper. Underside of floor < above top of rails, cannot be used with lifting equipment e H Two levels I Electrical forced-air heating L, S Double-decker wagon for motor vehicles R Folding sides T Door height over Z Heating equipment ee H More than 2 levels f F, H, I, L, O, S, T, U, Z Great Britain loading gauge, suitable for ferries and channel tunnel ff F, H, I, L, O, S, T, U, Z Great Britain loading gauge, suitable for channel tunnel only fff F, H, I, L, O, S, T, U, Z Great Britain loading gauge, suitable for ferries only g G, H, T, U For grain I Refrigerated van with cooling equipment K, L, R For container transport S For containers up to 60 feet Z For sealed or liquified gases or gas dissolved under pressure gg I Refrigerated van, cooled with liquid gas S For containers up to 80 feet h G, H For early vegetables I With thick insulation L, R, S, T For sheet metal coils laid horizontally hh L, R, S, T For sheet metal coils laid vertically i H, T Opening side walls (sliding walls) I Refrigerated van with refrigerator on trailer wagon K, L, R, S Fixed front wall, movable top cover U Low-loading platform Z Non-metal containers ii H High-strength sliding walls I Technical trailer k E, F, G, H, K, L(a), O, T, U, Z Maximum load on class C route: m < Ea, Fa, Ga, Ha, Laa, R, S, Ta, Ua, Za Maximum load on class C route: m < Eaa, Faa, Gaa, Haa, Sa(a), Taa, Uaa, Zaa Maximum load on class C route: m < I Maximum load on class C route: m < Ia Maximum load on class C route: m < kk E, F, G, H, K, L(a), O, T, U, Z Maximum load on class C route: ≤ m < Ea, Fa, Ga, Ha, Laa, R, S, Ta, Ua, Za Maximum load on class C route: ≤ m < Eaa, Faa, Gaa, Haa, Sa(a), Taa, Uaa, Zaa Maximum load on class C route: ≤ m < l E Not tippable F, T, U Loose (i.e. not controllable) gravity discharge hopper. Underside of floor ≥ above top of rails G Up to ventilation space H With movable partitions (from 1 May 1994)I Insulated wagon without ice chests K, L, O, R, S No stakes ll F, T, U Loose gravity discharge hopper; underside of floor < above top of rails — No lifting gear allowed H With lockable partitions (from 1 May 1994) m E Loading length: l < Ea(a) Loading length: l < G, H, T Loading length: l < Ga(a), Ha(a), Ta(a) Loading length: l < I Loading area: A < Ia Loading area: A < K, O, L Loading length: ≤ l < R, S Loading length: ≤ l < La(a), Sa(a) Loading length: ≤ l < mm K, O, L Loading length: l < R, S Loading length: l < La(a), Sa(a) Loading length: l < n I Maximum load on class C route: m > H Maximum load on class C route: m > E, G, K, L, T Maximum load on class C route: m > F, O, U, Z Maximum load on class C route: m > for twin-axled wagons / m > for three-axled wagons Ia, La maximum load at limit of load C: m > Ea, Fa, Ga, Ha, Laa, R, S, Ta, Ua, Za Maximum load on class C route: m > Eaa, Faa, Gaa, Haa, Sa(a), Taa, Uaa, Zaa Maximum load on class C route: m > o E Not end-tipping F, T, U Loose gravity discharge hopper. Underside of floor ≥ above top of rails. Lifting gear not usable G, H Twin-axled with loading length under and more than loading area I Ice chests under K Fixed sides R Fixed end walls under S Articulated wagon with three twin-axled bogies oo F, T, U Loose gravity discharge hopper. Underside of floor < above top of rails. Lifting gear cannot be used R Fixed end walls over high p F, T, U Loose gravity discharge hopper. Underside of floor ≥ above top of rails. Lifting gear cannot be used I No slatted floor K, L, S No sides R No end wall pp F, T, U Loose gravity discharge hopper. Underside of floor < above top of rails. Lifting gear cannot be used K, R Removable sides q all Electrical heating pipes for all permitted types of power qq all Electrical heating pipes and heating equipment for all permitted types of power r all Steam heating pipes rr all Steam heating pipes and equipment r S Articulated wagon s all Permitted in trains up to ss all Permitted in trains up to

National index letters

Country code 50: DR

Classes Period Meaning t Gbkl, Hkr 1968 to 1979 with special equipment for transporting personnel u E, G, K, R 1968 to 1979 not suitable for military use v E, T 1968 to 1979 not suitable for loading or unloading with a crane G, H 1968 to 1993 With roof hatches (loading hatches in the roof) U 1980 to 1993 For cement w U 1968 to 1979 For liquid fuel Z 1980 to 1993 x Uc 1968 to 1993 For coal dust E 1980 to 1993 With steel floor y Uc 1968 to 1979 Chemical container wagon T, U, Z 1980 to 1993 With internal lining z K, L, R, S 1968 to 1979 Removable platform railings G, I 1980 to 1993 With steam heating pipes zz F 1980 to 1993 With steam heating pipes and equipment

Country code 80: DB (Germany) Classes Meaning t H Daberkow transport protection equipment (to 30 April 1994) L inside loading width at the ends under 2.45 m tt H Lockable partitions (to 30 April 1994) u E, F, S Hydraulic tipping system G, H, I, K, L, T Steam heating pipes v all Electrical heating pipes for 1,000 or 1,500 volts vv all Electrical heating pipes and heating equipment for 1,000 or 1,500 volts w G, H, S Full spark protection covering ww all Spark protection plate to UIC standard 543 x E With steel floor (from 1 January 1994) z F Dumper wagon H Wagons for Leig-Einheit units T Wagons used as Td or Tdg zz Fb Bucket wagon

Country code 85: SBB (Switzerland) Classes Meaning t all line feeder () u F Electro-hydraulic dumping system H Cooling system v all Electrical heating pipes 1000 V 16 ~ w R, S, U Movable handbrake railings and screw brake spindle (removable/folding) ww H Spark protection plate to UIC standard 543 x H 2-axled drum brake S, L ACTS rotating frame y H Insulated F Smaller loading area (<) R, S Disc brakes z G, H With 12-core UIC cable

See also Austauschbauart Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer (UIC) UIC identification marking for tractive stock UIC classification of locomotive axle arrangements UIC classification of railway coaches UIC country codes Numbering scheme

References

External links Marking of freight wagons (UIC site) Overview of former and current classification systems Current classifications used by Railion. UIC classification system