QUESTION / CLARIFICATION
CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN NOTIFIED BODIES
DIRECTIVE 2008/57/EC AND SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS
ON THE INTEROPERABILITY OF THE RAIL SYSTEM WITHIN
THE UNION
QC-INF-011
Issue 01
Date: 05/02/2014
Page 1 of 3
TITLE
PLATFORM HEIGHT
ORIGINATOR
SG INF / ARSENAL RACE
SUBJECT RELATED TO
TSI INF HS (2008/217/EC) and
TSI PRM (2008/164/EC)
DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND EXPLANATION
The platform height is defined in TSI INS HS 4.2.20.4 and in TSI PRM 4.1.2.18.1.
TSI INS HS 4.2.20.4:
The nominal platform height above the running plane shall be either 550 mm or 760 mm, unless
otherwise specified in section 7.3.
The tolerances perpendicular to the running surface with reference to the nominal relative
positioning between track and platform are −30 mm/+ 0 mm.
TSI PRM 4.1.2.18.1:
For platforms on the Conventional Rail Network, two nominal values are permissible for platform
height: 550 mm and 760 mm above the running surface. The tolerances on these dimensions
shall be within –35 mm/+ 0 mm.
The clauses “Platform height” have to be assessed in the phases “Design and
development” as well as “Constructed, before putting into service”.
Two interpretations are possible:
a) The tolerances are referred to the actual platform height, so there is an absolute
maximum of 550 m/760 mm:
 the nominal value is 550 mm or 760 mm
 the actual value (constructed) can range in the tolerances of -30/+0 mm
(-35/+0 mm), or
b) The tolerances are referred to the nominal value only, so that
 the nominal value may range between 520 (515) mm and 550 mm
respectively between 730 (725) mm and 760 mm
 the actual value (constructed) is assessed according to “general tolerances”
(see RFU-STR-043) in reference to the current nominal value.
Interpretation a) raised some problems because in engineering processes for
construction there is no zero-tolerance, so that the constructors would have to change
their nominal value to 540 mm.
Interpretation b) seems to be preferable, as there is no reason for a zero-tolerance in
construction phase, and TSI PRM says explicitly “the tolerances on these
dimensions...”, referring to the nominal values.
QUESTION & CLARIFICATION
QUESTION / CLARIFICATION
CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN NOTIFIED BODIES
DIRECTIVE 2008/57/EC AND SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS
ON THE INTEROPERABILITY OF THE RAIL SYSTEM WITHIN
THE UNION
QC-INF-011
Issue 01
Date: 05/02/2014
Page 2 of 3
TSI INF Draft Vers. 3.4 from 09.10.2012 does not include any tolerances for the
platform height:
4.2.9.2 Platform Height
(1) The nominal platform height shall be 550 mm or 760 mm above the running surface for radii of
more than 300 m.
That means:
 the nominal value is 550 mm or 760 mm (without any tolerance; exceptions
according to chapters TSI INS HS 7.3 resp. TSI PRM 7.4.1.1)
 the actual value (constructed) is assessed according to “general tolerances”
(RFU-STR-043) in reference to the current nominal value of 550 or 760 mm.
The SG Infrastructure Group could not find one common solution and therefore
includes both possibilities in the “suggested resolution”.
A harmonised solution within NB Rail is needed because of the following reasons:
1. There are a lot of long lasting Infrastructure projects which will be constructed
and assessed according to the present TSIs (2008/217/EC, 2008/164/EC) for
the next couple of years
2. The draft of the new TSI INF does not give a clear requirement for the
assessment of the platform height in the construction phase, because there is
no tolerance given in the draft of the new TSI INF. Consequently, different
solutions will be applied in all member states.
3. NB Rail believes that the platform height is a very important parameter for the
interface of the rolling stock subsystem with the infrastructure subsystem.
SUGGESTED RESOLUTION / INTERPRETATION
Solution A:
The tolerances are referred to the actual platform height, so there is an absolute
maximum of 550 mm/760 mm:
 the nominal value is 550 mm or 760 mm
 the actual value (constructed) can range in the tolerances of -30/+0 mm
(-35/+0 mm). So there is a zero-tolerance for construction of the platform
height.
 To avoid this impossible construction tolerance of +0mm, the design value of
the platform height is adjusted (e.g. design value: 540 mm, construction
tolerance +/- 10mm)
Solution B:
The tolerances for the platform height defined in TSI INS HS 4.2.20.4 and TSI PRM
4.1.2.18.1 are referred to the nominal value only, not to the actual values in phase
“Constructed, before putting into service”.
QUESTION & CLARIFICATION
QUESTION / CLARIFICATION
CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN NOTIFIED BODIES
DIRECTIVE 2008/57/EC AND SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS
ON THE INTEROPERABILITY OF THE RAIL SYSTEM WITHIN
THE UNION


QC-INF-011
Issue 01
Date: 05/02/2014
Page 3 of 3
the nominal value may range between 520 (515) mm and 550 mm
respectively between 730 (725) mm and 760 mm. (For the new TSI INF the
nominal value is fixed with 550 and 760 mm.)
the actual value (constructed) is assessed according to “general tolerances”
(see RFU-STR-043) in reference to the current nominal value. The design
value is the same as the nominal value. The constructed height therefore
can be higher than the nominal value.
ORGANISATION(S) REQUESTED TO RESPOND (E.G. TSI GROUP, RISC, ERA ETC.)
ERA / EUROPEAN COMMISSION
DATE OF AGREEMENT AT NB RAIL PLENARY MEETING
05.02.2014
RESPONSE FROM ORGANISATION ABOVE
QUESTION & CLARIFICATION