Out-of-Gauge Load

When a wagon with goods exceeds the predefined dimensions of height and width of the loading gauge, or a vehicle on its own wheels exceeds the predefined vehicle's reference profile, then the railway undertaking is dealing with gauge fouling.

A wagon with cargo or a vehicle is considered as out-of-gauge when:

  1. Its contour due to the width or height (or both) while positioned on a straight and level track, does not fall within the applicable gauge contour on at least one section of the transport route under consideration.
  2. On straight and level track, the contour falls within the gauge, but once UIC Loading Guidelines gauge restrictions of the loading width are applied it no longer complies with the loading gauge.

The fouling of the loading gauge may occur due to the consignment’s:

  • Width, and the height from the level of the rail head
  • Location on the wagon
  • Relative position to the passing vehicle on the adjacent track

The manifestation of the incompatibility of the dimensions of a consignment with the permitted contour of the track corridor may occur in any of the four zones defined as:

  1. Bottom zone (specific height ranges are defined individually by the infrastructure manager).
  2. Lateral zone (one-sided or two-sided).
  3. Conditional common lateral and upper zone (as defined by adjacent track occupancy status).
  4. Upper zone (above the height of the loading gauge).

The conditional zone has been introduced to define the conditions for passing other consignments with exceeded gauge in the upper zone on double-track lines.

Exceeding the gauge on straight and level track depends only on the width and height of the load.

On curved track, the overrun of the gauge is further influenced by:

  • Cargo length
  • Geometrical characteristics of the wagon
  • Radius size in the curve
  • Curve's cant

In such a case the transport of such a wagon and cargo set, or a vehicle on its own wheels, might still be possible on the carriage conditions for an exceptional transport, on the route indicated and approved by an infrastructure manager.

For this to be the case, a railway undertaking:

  • Determines the smallest loading gauge on the entire route from the departure station to the destination station.
  • Identifies critical points of the consignment.
  • Applies width-restrictions from the tables in the UIC Loading Guidelines.
  • States the critical points of the consignment.
  • Declares accordingly loading tolerances and wagon deflection values.
  • Suggests the consignor's preferred route to the infrastructure manager.
  • Applies one of the three approval methods for the oversized consignment.

The first method involves full process of authorisation and execution of out of gauge consignments where RU must apply to IM for transport conditions.

The other two methods offer the simplified authorisation process for out of gauge consignments, in which the RU does not need to apply to IM for authorisation. Instead, it is RU's role to examine the consignments compatibility with the conditions set and provided by IM for the specified route’s profile. So, RU selects one out of the three scenarios:

  1. Files an application form to the infrastructure manager for exceptional consignment.
  2. Runs the consignment on Combined Transport conditions, when applicable.
  3. Runs the consignment on the UIC Outline Procedure conditions – (currently applicable only in Austria).

The Infrastructure manager inspects the line conditions and approves the consignment on the paths with a set of restrictive conditions regarding neighbour track occupancy, speed restrictions and prohibition to run on specific tracks. These restrictions are sent to the railway undertaking in an authorisation with a forwarding number, and with limited validity period.

In extreme cases of gauge fouling, the infrastructure manager might issue a refusal for the transport of the oversized consignment. In such a case the infrastructure manager must clearly declare the refusal reason.