Railway applications — Methods for calculation of stopping and slowing distances and immobilization braking — Part 1: General algorithms

Scope

Defines the general algorithms — mean-value calculations for a train or single vehicle — for computing stopping and slowing distances and immobilization (parking) braking, from brake equipment characteristics through force development to achieved deceleration. Part 2 covers step-by-step calculations for specific applications.

EN 14531 is the calculation backbone of every braking demonstration: it standardises how brake cylinder forces, timing, adhesion limits and gradient resistance combine into predicted stopping distances and parking-brake holding capability, so that a manufacturer's calculation, an assessor's check and a customer's specification all mean the same thing by 'calculated stopping distance'. Part 1 (the general mean-value algorithms) is the entry the OJ cites together with Part 2, giving presumption of conformity for the braking-performance calculations the TSIs require. It pairs with EN 14198 at train level, with the WSP behaviour of EN 15595 at the adhesion limit, and with IRS 50544-1 when results are converted into braked weights.