Railway applications — RAMS Part 1: Generic process (IEC twin of EN 50126-1)

Scope

Specifies a system life-cycle based process for managing reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS) in railway applications, including a systematic approach to identifying and controlling risk and conflicts between RAMS elements. As the international (IEC) twin of EN 50126-1, it is used by railway undertakings, infrastructure managers, suppliers and assessors to specify and demonstrate RAMS requirements throughout a system's life.

IEC 62278-1 specifies a system lifecycle-based process for managing reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS) in railway applications, including a systematic approach to identifying risk and resolving the inherent trade-offs and conflicts that can arise between different RAMS elements during system design. As the international IEC twin of the CENELEC standard EN 50126-1, it defines essentially the same generic lifecycle process -- spanning concept, design, implementation, operation and decommissioning -- allowing organisations operating outside the CENELEC area to apply an internationally recognised equivalent framework. Railway undertakings, infrastructure managers, suppliers and assessors use it to specify RAMS requirements for a new system, and to demonstrate throughout the system's life that those requirements continue to be met as the system is operated and maintained. It is the international-standard counterpart most often referenced in RAMS contracts and tenders involving parties or projects outside Europe. The current edition in force is IEC 62278-1:2025.