No C 354/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 29.12. 83 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States 
relating to the noise emission of rail-mounted vehicles 
COM(83) 706 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 7 December 1983 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN 
COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 100 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas the various action programmes of the 
European Communities on the environment show 
clearly the importance of the problem of noise and, in 
particular, the need to take action against noise 
caused by road, rail and air traffic; 
Whereas railway noise should be reduced taking into 
account environmental factors, technical feasibility 
and economic consequences; 
Whereas the appropriate way to reduce the nuisance 
of railway noise would be to fix noise emission limits 
at source; 
Whereas, to avoid technical barriers to trade, rail-
mounted vehicles must be measured in each Member 
State by means of harmonized measuring methods; 
Whereas, due to the very nature of railway 
operations, complications may arise in dealing with 
third countries and the cooperation of the Inter­
national Union of Railways should be sought in this 
field; 
Whereas this Directive contains technical provisions 
which must be adaptable to technical progress, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
1. This Directive applies to rail-mounted vehicles 
intended to circulate on the national railway 
networks of the Member States for the carriage of 
passengers and goods. 2. For the purposes of this Directive, 'rail-mounted 
vehicles' means any vehicle which is guided and/or 
supported during its movement by one or more rails. 
3. This Directive shall not apply to the following 
rail-mounted vehicles: 
— those used exclusively in the construction and 
maintenance of railway installations, 
— those used for tests, 
— those which comply with the standards of the 
International Union of Railways whose owners 
are established outside the Community. 
Article 2 
Rail-mounted vehicles shall be in conformity with this 
Directive where their sound emission levels measured 
in accordance with Annex I do not exceed the 
permissible sound emission levels indicated in 
Annex II. 
Article 3 
Each type of rail-mounted vehicle shall, on 
application by the manufacturer or his authorized 
representative in the Community, be examined in 
accordance with Annex I by a body approved for this 
purpose by a Member State. 
For any one type or rail-mounted vehicle, the 
application shall be submitted to only one approved 
body, which shall issue a report on the measurement 
results in accordance with the model given in 
Annex III. 
For each rail-mounted vehicle manufactured in 
conformity with the approved type, a certificate of 
conformity in accordance with the model given in 
Annex IV shall be made out by the manufacturer, or 
his authorized representative in the Community, 
where the noise level values in the report satisfy the 
requirements of this Directive. 
29.12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 354/5 
Article 4 
If a rail-mounted vehicle for which a certificate of 
conformity has been issued undergoes modifications 
which are liable to alter its noise emission levels, a 
report must be issued in accordance with the 
procedure specified in Article 3. 
Article 5 
1. Member States may not refuse, prohibit or 
restrict on grounds of noise emission levels the 
marketing or utilization of rail-mounted vehicles for 
which a certificate of conformity has been issued. 
2. Conditions of use of rail-mounted vehicles shall, 
to the extent to which they are not covered by other 
Community provisions, continue to be covered by the 
laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the 
country where it is used. 
Article 6 
If a Member State detects an instance in which a rail-
mounted vehicle for which a certificate of conformity 
has been issued is not in conformity with the 
requirements laid down in this Directive, it shall take 
the necessary measures to ensure conformity. Such 
measures may extend to the withdrawal of the certi­
ficate of conformity. The Member State concerned 
shall, within one month, inform the other Member 
States of the action it has taken, giving the grounds 
therefor. 
Article 7 
If a Member State challenges an instance of non­
conformity of which it has been informed, the 
Member States concerned shall endeavour to settle 
the dispute. The Commission shall be kept informed. 
Where necessary, the Commission shall hold appro­
priate consultations with a view to resolving the 
matter. 
Article 8 
1. A Committee on the Adaptation to Technical 
Progress of the Directives on the Approximation of 
National Legislation in the Rail-Mounted Vehicle 
Sector, hereinafter called 'the Committee', is hereby 
set up. It shall consist of representatives of the 
Member States, with a representative of the 
Commission as chairman. 2. The Committee shall adopt its own rules of 
procedure. 
Article 9 
Amendments necessary to adapt the Annexes to this 
Directive to technical progress shall be drawn up 
based on the procedure set out in Article 10. 
Article 10 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is 
to be followed, matters shall be referred to the 
Committee by the chairman, either on his own 
initiative or at the request of the representative of a 
Member State. 
2. The representative of the Commission shall 
submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to 
be adopted. The Committee shall deliver its opinion 
on the draft within a time limit set by the chairman 
having regard to the urgency of the matter. Opinions 
shall be adopted by the majority provided for in the 
first indent of the second subparagraph of Article 148 
(2) of the EEC Treaty, the votes of the Member 
States being weighted as provided for in that 
paragraph. The chairman shall not vote. 
3. (a) The Commission shall adopt the measures 
envisaged where they are in accordance with 
the opinion of the Committee. 
(b) Where the measures envisaged are not in 
accordance with the opinion of the 
Committee, or if no opinion is adopted, the 
Commission shall without delay propose to the 
Council the measures to be adopted. The 
Council shall act by a qualified majority. 
(c) If, within three months of the proposal being 
submitted to it, the Council has not acted, the 
proposed measures shall be adopted by the 
Commission. 
Article 11 
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, 
regulations and administrative provisions necessary to 
comply with this Directive before 1 January 1985. 
2. Member States shall communicate to the 
Commission the texts of the provisions which they 
adopt in the field covered by this Directive. 
Article 12 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
No C 354/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 29.12. 83 
ANNEX I 
METHOD OF MEASURING AIRBORNE NOISE EMITTED BY RAIL-MOUNTED 
VEHICLES 
1. OBJECT 
The purpose of this method of measurement is to determine the noise emitted by rail-mounted 
vehicles used in railways. 
It defines the acoustic criteria for the environment to be used to characterize rail-mounted vehicles 
and lays down the test procedures for determining the limit value of the sound pressure level. 
The values obtained by this method constitute the basic data for checking that the equipment in 
question complies with the noise requirements. 
2. SCOPE 
This method applies to wheeled vehicles which are guided and/or supported during their movement 
by one or more rails. 
It is valid irrespective of the size and speed of the vehicles under test. 
3. DEFINITIONS 
3.1. Sound pressure level LpA 
The sound pressure level L , expressed in decibels, of a noise is defined by: 
Lp = 20logio L 
P o 
where: 
p is the effective sound pressure value measured at a particular point, expressed in pascals (Pa), 
po is the reference sound pressure, equal to 20 uPa. 
The value LpA of the A-weighted sound pressure level, expressed in dB, is obtained by applying the 
A weighting to the measuring system. 
3.2. Acoustic criterion for the environment of rolling stock 
The acoustic criterion for the environment of rolling stock shall be expressed by the A-weighted 
sound pressure level LpA-
3.3. Limit value of the sound pressure level 
This is the value prescribed by the Directive in compliance with Annex II; it is expressed by LpAI-
3.4. Background noise 
Background noise means any noise recorded at the measuring points which is not generated by the 
sound source. 
4. MEASURING INSTRUMENTS 
The apparatus shall be designed to measure the A-weighted level of the root mean square of the 
sound pressure. 
To satisfy this requirement, an I-type precision sound level meter satisfying the requirements of IEC 
publication 651 (first edition 1979) must be used. The sound level meter shall be used at time-setting 
'F. 
If, for any measurement, instruments other than a precision sound level meter are used, all the 
specifications of such instruments shall comply with the above requirements. 
29.12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 354/7 
5. CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE MEASURING DISTANCE, THE MEASURING SITE 
AND THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS 
The measuring site chosen shall be in open country, the ground being substantially flat, uncovered 
or with low vegetative cover (ploughed land or grazing land). 
The track must be straight and level, laid on an earth base and equipped over the entire length of 
the test area with rails which are welded and laid on timber or concrete sleepers and ballasted in the 
usual way (stone chip ballast which is free from foreign objects and flush with the upper surface of 
the sleepers). 
(In the case of conventional railways, the weight of the rails shall be at least 50 kg/m). 
The horizontal plane of movement, hereinafter referred to as the reference level, shall be above the 
ground level of the measuring site. 
The geometry of the track and of the rails in the vertical plane must be in perfect condition and 
must not exhibit any significant surface defects, i.e. there must be no signs of roughness. 
No object likely to create acoustic disturbances may be located within a radius around the 
microphone equal to three times the measuring distance. 
Measurements are not to be taken, and in any case shall not be valid: 
— in icy weather or if the ballast is frozen, 
— if there is a layer of snow on the ground, 
— in the event of snowfall, 
— in the event of rain, 
— if the wind speed exceeds 8 m/sec. 
The background noise must be 10 dB less than the noise of the vehicle or vehicles under test. 
5.1. Special infrastructures 
Point 5.1 is being examined with a view to taking account of technical change and the final text will 
be included through the procedure of the Committee for Adaptation to Technical Progress. 
6. DETERMINATION OF NOISE DURING MOVEMENT 
6.1. Taking the sound measurements 
6.1.1. Positioning the microphones 
In the case of conventional railways, the microphone shall be placed at a distance of 25 metres from 
the vertical median plane of the track and at a height of 3,50 metres above the reference level. 
NB: If the microphone cannot be placed at a distance of 25 metres and a height of 3,50 metres for 
reasons of space, it shall be placed in the same spatial relationship at a height of 1,20 metres and a 
distance of 7,5 metres, in which case 7 dB(A) should be subtracted from the result of the 
measurement. 
6.1.2. Determination of the sound pressure levelLpj^ 
The maximum value of the sound pressure level measured during movement of the rail-mounted 
vehicle or vehicles shall be that which is to be recorded. 
In the case of fluctuating noise, this value shall be obtained by determining the root mean square of 
the representative maximum levels of the acoustic signal. 
This measurement shall be repeated at least three times. If the maximum sound pressure levels 
obtained from two measurements differ by more than 3 dB(A), further measurements must be taken 
until the difference between two or more measurements is no greater than 3 dB(A). 
The arithmetic mean of the two highest sound pressure levels no more than 3 dB(A) apart shall be 
the representative sound pressure level of the railmounted vehicle or vehicles in movement. 
6.2. Operation of vehicles in movement 
When crossing the test area, the vehicle (vehicles), the noise from which is to be measured, must be 
moving at at least 90 % of its (their) maximum authorized speed, but without exceeding the 
maximum speed authorized on the user network. 
No C 354/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 29.12. 83 
The power units of the tractive vehicles shall be operating at the minimum power necessary to 
maintain this speed. 
As regards hauled stock (coaches or wagons), trains of at least five vehicles of the same type shall 
be used for measurement purposes. 
As regards railcars, measurements shall relate to the vehicle configuration used during normal 
operation of a basic unit. 
6.2.1. Special vehicles 
Same remarks as for point 5.1. 
7. DETERMINING THE NOISE OF TRACTIVE UNITS ON STARTING 
7.1. Carrying out the sound measurements 
7.1.1. Positioning the microphones 
Measurements shall be taken under the site conditions defined in paragraph 5 above using four 
microphones placed on a vertical plane at a distance of 7,5 metres on either side of the vertical 
median plane of the track and at heights of 1,20 and 3,5 metres respectively above the reference 
level. 
7.1.2. Determination of the sound pressure level LpA 
Measurements shall be taken with the tractive unit moving forward. 
The maximum value of the sound pressure level shall be recorded at each measuring point. 
The maximum sound pressure level LpA °ftne rail-mounted vehicle in question, on starting, shall be 
equal to the root mean square value of the maximum sound pressure levels recorded at the four 
microphones for vehicle movements in both directions of travel. 
This measurement shall be repeated at least three times. If the maximum sound pressure levels LpA 
obtained from two measurements differ by more than 3 dB(A), further measurements must be taken 
until the difference between two or more measurements is no greater than 3 dB(A). 
The arithmetic mean of the two highest sound pressure levels no more than 3 dB(A) apart shall be 
the representative sound pressure level of the rail-mounted vehicle on starting. 
7.2. Operation of tractive units on starting 
The tractive unit shall be used at the front of a train the minimum load of which depends on the 
unit's power rating. This load is given by the following table: 
Power rating (kW) 
<300 
300 < < 1000 
> 1000 Minimum load (tonnes) 
200 
400 
600 
For the purpose of measurement, a railcar shall be used in its basic configuration. The front face of 
the tractive vehicle or railcar shall be placed 20 metres in front of the plane of the microphones. The 
stationary tractive unit or railcar shall accelerate at the maximum power possible without slipping of 
the drive wheels and shall maintain this power, within the operating limits of the vehicle, until its 
rearmost point has crossed a line 20 metres beyond the measuring plane. 
NB: Preliminary tests are to be carried out to establish the conditions as regards the maximum 
power possible without slipping of the drive wheels. 
8. DATA TO BE RECORDED 
The following information should be collected and recorded in a report covering all the 
measurements taken as specified by this measuring method. 
29. 12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 354/9 
8.1. Rail-mounted vehicle under test 
(a) description of the vehicle under test; 
(b) operating conditions of the vehicle during the tests; 
(c) if the vehicle tested has several sound sources, description of the sources in operation during 
measurement. 
8.2. Acoustic environment 
(a) description of the measuring site and of the physical characteristics of the test area; diagram 
showing the location of the vehicle and any reflecting objects on the measuring site; 
(b) meteorological conditions: weather (sunshine, cloud, mist, etc.), air temperature, barometric 
pressure, wind speed and direction, relative humidity. 
8.3. Instruments 
(a) equipment used for the measurements, including the name, type and serial number of the 
apparatus and the name of the manufacturer; 
(b) method used to calibrate the measuring equipment, name of the laboratory conducting the 
calibration and date of the most recent calibration. 
8.4. Acoustic data 
(a) the location of the microphones and the direction of the wind are to be indicated on the 
diagram provided for in point (a) of paragraph 8.2; 
(b) sound pressure levels recorded at the measuring points; 
(c) average sound pressure levels; 
(d) type of noise (fluctuating, pure tones); 
(e) date and time of measurements. 
No C 354/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 29.12. 83 
ANNEX II 
MAXIMUM SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS 
1. NOISE ON STARTING 
The values for the maximum permissible sound pressure levels on starting determined in accordance 
with Annex I are given in the following table: 
Power rating 
Less than 300 kW 
300 kW to 1 MW 
Greater than 1 MW Sound pressure level values in dB(A) 
Electric traction 
82 
86 
90 Other methods of traction 
87 
91 
95 
2. NOISE FROM RAIL-MOUNTED VEHICLES IN MOVEMENT 
The values of the maximum permissible sound pressure levels for noise from rail-mounted vehicles 
in movement vary linearly between: 
80 dB(A) and 96 dB(A) for coaches and traction units, 
83 dB(A) and 96 dB(A) for wagons, 
following the equation: 
LcdB(A) = 30log10 -f^o +K 
The values for K are: 
K = 89 dB(A) in the case of coaches and traction units, 
K = 92 dB(A) in the case of wagons, 
where V is the running speed in kilometres per hour. 
ANNEXIII 
MODEL REPORT ON THE MEASUREMENT OF NOISE LEVELS RECORDED ON RAIL 
VEHICLES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEASUREMENT CODE SPECIFIED IN 
ANNEX I 
I. VEHICLE RECORD CARD 
— Description of the type of vehicle (tractive unit, railcar, passenger vehicle or goods vehicle) 
— Stock code and explanation (simplified diagram and photograph) 
— Manufacturer's name 
— Year of manufacture 
— Length between buffers; total weight under load 
— Type of bogie or axle 
— Braking system 
— Maximum speed 
29.12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 354/11 
— Additional information for tractive units: 
— Methods of traction (electric, diesel or turbine) 
— Power rating in kW 
— Number of power units. 
NB: Record cards drawn up in accordance with the UIC Code on the basis of the following 
documents: 
— 567-1 and 567-2 OR in the case of coaches 
— 571-1 and 571-2 OR in the case of wagons. 
II. TEST CONDITIONS 
— Date of tests 
— Site description and characteristics (general, dimensioned plan and photograph) 
— Track equipment and state of the track 
— Measuring points 
— Composition of the test train 
— Meteorological conditions. 
III. INSTRUMENTATION 
— Apparatus used for the measurements (type of apparatus and manufacturer's name, etc.), 
— Calibration conditions, 
— Date of the most recent inspection of the measuring equipment. 
IV. RESULTS 
The values recorded in these test conditions are to be indicated in the results tables the model 
of which is given below: 
TABLE 1 
Noise of the vehicle during operation 
Test sequence Speed km/h Maximum noise level LpA 
25 m at a height of 3,5 m 7,5 m at a height of 1,2 m 
Mean of the 
two highest 
values 
Observations: 
No C 354/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 29.12. 83 
TABLE 2 
Noise of the tractive unit on starting 
Test sequence 
1 
2 
3 Maximum noise level LpA at a distance of 7,50 m 
at the centre of the track 
At a height of 1,20 m 
L R At a height of 3,50 m 
L R 
Arithmetic mean of 
the two highest values 
The abbreviations L and R stand for left and right in relation to the driver at his control station. 
Observations: 
V. APPROVED BODY 
— Name of the body 
— Name of the person or persons responsible 
— Place, date and signatures. 
ANNEX IV 
MOQEL CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMITY 
I, the undersigned, (surname and first name) 
hereby certify that the rail-mounted vehicle 
1. sort (coach, wagon, tractive unit, railcar, etc.) 
2. make 
3. type (simplified definition making identification possible and avoiding all confusion) 
4. year of manufacture (or of modification) 
conforms in all respects to the requirements of Council Directive 
(reference) 
at on 
by : , 
Report issued by • (approved body) 
on at 
Done at 
on 
Signature and position