Railway Applications — Rolling stock — Protective provisions relating to electrical hazards

Scope

Specifies protective provisions against electric shock for persons on rolling stock, covering protection against direct and indirect contact, protective bonding and the classification of voltages in vehicle electrical installations. It applies to rail vehicles, externally powered road vehicles such as trolleybuses and magnetically levitated vehicles, and is used by rolling stock manufacturers and conformity assessors, including in demonstrations against the LOC&PAS TSI.

EN 50153 specifies the protective provisions required against electric shock for persons on board rail vehicles, covering protection against both direct contact (with live parts) and indirect contact (with parts that could become live through a fault), the design of protective bonding within the vehicle's electrical installation, and the classification of voltages present in on-board electrical systems. It applies not only to conventional rail vehicles but also to externally powered road vehicles such as trolleybuses and to magnetically levitated vehicles, giving it a broader scope than most CENELEC rolling stock standards. Rolling stock manufacturers apply the standard during electrical system design to ensure passengers, crew and maintenance staff are protected from electric shock hazards arising from the vehicle's traction and auxiliary electrical systems. Conformity assessors reference it, together with the applicable environmental and electronic equipment standards, when reviewing electrical safety evidence submitted as part of demonstrations against the TSI for locomotives and passenger rolling stock (LOC&PAS). The current edition in force is EN 50153:2014+A2:2020.