What is BS EN 13261 about?
BS EN 13261 specifies the characteristics of the axles for all track gauges.
BS EN 13261 defines the characteristics of axles manufactured by forging or rolling, in vacuum-degassed steel, grade EA1N1, EA1T1 and EA4T1. For hollow axles, this document only applies to those obtained by machining the hole in a solid forged or rolled axle. The requirements defined in BS EN 13261 apply to cylindrical wheel seats. Most of the requirements also apply to wheelsets with conical wheel seats.
BS EN 13261 also allows variations in material characteristics in relation to alternative manufacturing processes (e.g., cold forging, shot peening, thermal spraying, steel cleanliness, reduction ratio, improvement of material properties through fusion or heat treatment processes, etc.).
NOTE: BS EN 13261 applies to heavy railway vehicles but may also apply to other vehicles such as light railway vehicles, trams, or undergrounds.
NOTE: BS EN 13261 applies to axles whose design complies with the rules defined in EN 13103-1.
Who is BS EN 13261 for?
BS EN 13261 on railway axles is useful for:
- Railway engineer
- Mechanical engineer
- Manufacturers of railway wheelsets and bogies
Why should you use BS EN 13261?
The railway axle serves to transmit the driving torque to the wheels, maintain the position of the wheels relative to each other, and support the vehicle body. BS EN 13261 provides the characteristics and components of axles for all track gauges. BS EN 13261 provides the analysis method to give the percentage limit values of the various elements of chemical composition in accordance with the methods and instructions.
Also, provides mechanical characteristics from the tensile testing and impact resistance characteristics to determine the longitudinal and transverse directions of the solid and hollow axle. BS EN 13261 introduces you to the fatigue characteristics to correctly size an axle and gives the proper performance of the axle during operation and ultrasonic permeability to ensure the feasibility of in-operation ultrasound examinations on the axle.
Overall, BS EN 13261 helps you in the manufacturing of railway wheelsets and axles with minimum requirements for product qualification and to guide it along the track ensuring safety, consistency, and reliability.
