Requirements on On Track Machines OTMs

ERA or the Swedish Transport Agency authorises on-track machines for transport on tracks, both self-propelled and hauled vehicles. Normally only vehicles in transport mode are authorised. The working mode falls under the employer's responsibility, which is monitored by the Swedish Work Environment Authority.

Application

On-track machines traveling at speeds higher than 20 km/h must normally be authorised by the Swedish Transport Agency or ERA. The applicant must submit the application via ERA's One‑Stop Shop (OSS). If the area of use is limited solely to Sweden, the applicant can choose the Swedish Transport Agency as the authorising entity. If the area of use covers more than one Member State, ERA will be the authorising entity.

The applicant may choose to apply either national technical rules (TSFS 2022:36) assessed by designated bodies (DeBo) or TSIs assessed by notified bodies (NoBo). When the applicant chooses to apply TSI, the process and rules for locomotives and passenger vehicles are followed.

For time-limited approvals for tests and passive transport, the applicant must contact the Swedish Transport Agency directly. Then the process according to TSFS 2022:35 is applied.

Shunters and historical vehicles follow the same model as on-track machines, but some standards are especially aimed at on-track machines, e.g. EN 14033-1. For two-way vehicles, the requirements of standard EN 15746 can be used. Shunters and historical vehicles are authorised according to regulation TSFS 2022:34.

ApplicableTSIs

The applicant may choose to apply the following TSIs when authorising on-track machines:

Imported on-track machines with an authorisation from another EU+ state must also be authorised for traffic in Sweden. This is done by applying for an extended area of ​​use in OSS.

When authorising an on-track machine (or a series of vehicles) which is completely or partly covered by TSIs, the applicant shall engage one or more notified bodies. These bodies must check that the vehicle complies with the respective TSI. In the case of a modification of existing vehicles, the applicant decides whether or not a new authorisation is required on the basis of the criteria described in Article 16 and/or 15 of regulation (EU) 2018/545, practical Arrangement for Vehicle Authorisation, PAVA.

(EU) 2018/545 PAVA.

National requirements, open points and specific cases

TSI-compliant OTMs shall fulfil the TSI-requirements and national requirements regarding open points and specific cases in the relevant TSIs. The OTMs which do not apply TSI Locomotives and passenger units shall fulfil all relevant national requirements.

There are only general requirements set in the Swedish regulations on rail vehicles. The Swedish Transport Agency has issued guidelines with accepted technical solutions for different functions of a vehicle to facilitate for the applicant. Our guidelines sets accepted technical solutions for authorisation of OTMs without pantograph.

Guide lines for OTMs

The following guidelines states accepted technical solutions for authorisation of an OTM without pantograph (some are only available in Swedish):

To achieve an authorisation without operational restrictions the OTM shall be designed for operation in Nordic winter conditions. The applicant shall demonstrate the safety and reliability for operation in severe winter conditions. Hence the Swedish Transport Agency require experience operation to issue an "permanent" authorisation without operational restrictions."

To operate a rail vehicle on the Öresund link the vehicle has to be authorised both in Sweden and Denmark.

Cross acceptance of "imported" vehicles

The national requirements are valid for additional authorisations of vehicles with
an authorisation in another EU+-state. The Swedish Transport Agency applies cross acceptance by additional authorisation, which means we accept A-classified functions without further assessment of the these functions of an OTM.

Requirements for installation of train protection and train radio systems

New railway vehicles with a driving cab shall normally have the train protection system ETCS-STM installed. See requirement on the page "Requirements on onboard Command Control and Signalling. OTMs and shunter may be authorised without a train protection system, in these cases we will set operational restrictions in the authorisation.

All vehicles with a drivers cab shall have a GSM-R train radio installed. From 1 July 2016 this train radio has to be protected from other radio frequencies.