Railway Applications — Ballastless track systems — Part 1: General requirements

Scope

Sets the general design requirements for ballastless (slab) track systems up to 250 kN axle load, defining system inputs such as loading, alignment and interfaces to substructure and vehicles. Together with Parts 2 (system design of subsystems and components) and 3, it underpins slab-track specification and acceptance on high-speed and heavy-use lines.

EN 16432-1 sets the general design requirements for ballastless (slab) track systems intended to support axle loads up to 250 kN, defining the system-level inputs -- including traffic loading, track alignment parameters and the interfaces to the substructure below and to the rolling stock running on it -- that a ballastless track system design must satisfy. As Part 1 of a three-part series, it establishes the overarching requirements framework, while Part 2 addresses the detailed system design of individual subsystems and components and Part 3 addresses acceptance and maintenance requirements. Ballastless track is increasingly used on high-speed lines and lines with heavy or continuous traffic where conventional ballasted track would require disproportionate maintenance, making this standard the reference specification infrastructure managers and track system suppliers use for slab-track procurement and design acceptance. The standard's general requirements are applied together with the more detailed component-level requirements of the remaining parts of the series when specifying a complete ballastless track system. The current edition in force is EN 16432-1:2017.