Guide to Using the New Generation of IEEE Standards for Railcar Procurements

Abstract

In 1996, the Rail Transit Vehicle Interface Standards Committee was formed as a sponsor committee under IEEE. In IEEE jargon, a sponsor committee is a clearing-house for standards development in a particular subject area. Up to 1996, there was no committee that was actively developing rail transit standards in the electrical arena. This new committee was tasked with the goal of developing standards in an industry that has frequently been keen on customization. Over the last 11 years, the committee has developed 14 standards and has 14 additional standards that are near to completion. The end product will be a suite of standards that cover aspects of railcars, signal systems, overhead contact systems, and traction power substations. While these standards offer the collective advice of the industry, they cannot be blindly implemented. This paper will lay out the scope of the various published standards and provide a roadmap to their use.