EMC conformance for railway equipment

Abstract

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) must be maintained between the railway infrastructure: OLE, power supply; signalling or train control system; rolling stock and other electrical/electronic systems situated adjacent to the railway, in order to ensure system functionality and safety. In addition all electrical/electronic systems in use on European railway networks must conform with the essential protection requirements of the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC and the national implementing regulations; SI 1992 no.2372 in the UK. CENELEC the European electrical standards body, has adopted a series of EMC standards for railways: EN 50121 parts 1-5: 2000. Meeting these standards indicates: minimum criteria for the equipment to function satisfactorily and safely in the railway environment and when the results are incorporated in a Technical Construction File (TCF), the minimum criteria for conformance with the EU EMC Directive. In addition to these standards it will be necessary to meet the specific EMC infrastructure requirements, e.g.: Railtrack Group standards GM/RC 1500, GM/RT 8015 (which supersedes GM/RT1031 and GS/ES 1914) or LUL E1027 and M 1027 A2. Achieving EMC from a safety perspective and conformance with the appropriate standards and the regulations, will only be achieved by managing EMC within the design of equipment and systems. It will be necessary to generate the appropriate documentation in order to deal with the EMC aspects of the Safety Case (e.g. EMC hazard closures for the hazard log) and to demonstrate conformance with the EMC Regulations. (7 pages)