EN 16404: The Engineering Standard for Railway Vehicle Recovery and Re-railing

What is EN 16404?

EN 16404 is the European Standard titled “Railway applications – Rolling stock – Requirements for lifting and re-railing.” It defines the mechanical and geometric requirements that all modern rail vehicles must meet to ensure they can be safely lifted or returned to the tracks following a derailment or during heavy maintenance.

In the event of an incident, emergency teams must be able to lift a vehicle weighing dozens of tonnes without causing the body to collapse or slide. EN 16404 ensures that “Lifting Points” and “Jacking Points” are integrated into the vehicle’s chassis design from the factory, providing a standardized interface for recovery equipment.

Key Technical Requirements

The standard focuses on two primary scenarios: workshop lifting (controlled environment) and emergency re-railing (unstable environment).

• Structural Strength: The vehicle underframe must be designed to support the entire weight of the vehicle (including “crush load” in some cases) at specific points without permanent deformation.
• Standardized Interfaces: EN 16404 specifies the dimensions and shapes of jacking pads to ensure compatibility with standard hydraulic jacks and re-railing beams used by rescue services.
• Marking and Identification: Every lifting point must be clearly marked with standardized symbols on the vehicle’s exterior. This allows rescue teams to identify safe pressure points instantly, even in low visibility or high-stress situations.
• Stability Criteria: The standard defines the necessary clearances around lifting points to prevent interference with bogies or underframe equipment during the lifting process.

Re-railing Logic and Procedures

Re-railing is significantly more complex than simple vertical lifting. It often involves lateral movement (shunting the vehicle sideways back onto the rails). EN 16404 requires that vehicles be designed to withstand these lateral forces.

Comparison: Workshop Lifting vs. Emergency Re-railing

Regulatory Compliance (TSI)

Compliance with EN 16404 is a mandatory requirement for the TSI LOC&PAS (Locomotives and Passenger Rolling Stock) and TSI WAG (Wagons). A vehicle cannot be certified for operation on the European network if its recovery and lifting protocols do not meet these specifications. This ensures that a recovery team in one country has the correct tools and knowledge to handle a derailed vehicle from another country.