CLC/TC 9X/WG 18 - Railway application -- Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)

This document applies to electrical and electronic apparatus and systems intended for use in railway fixed installations for power supply with railway function (e.g. not covered are equipment such as fire detection devices installed inside substations, room access devices, air conditioning, lighting systems, etc.). This includes the power feed to the apparatus, the apparatus itself with its protective control circuits, trackside items such as switching stations, power substations for charging of battery on the board of train (auxiliary charging points), power autotransformers, booster transformers, substation power switchgear and power switchgear to other longitudinal and local supplies. Emission and immunity limits are given for apparatus which are situated: a) within the boundary of a substation which delivers electric power to a railway; b) beside the track for the purpose of controlling or regulating the railway power supply, including power factor correction; c) along the track for the purpose of supplying electrical power to the railway other than by means of the conductors used for contact current collection, and associated return conductors. Included are high voltage feeder systems within the boundary of the railway which supply substations at which the voltage is reduced to the railway system voltage; d) beside the track for controlling or regulating electric power supplies to ancillary railway uses. This category includes power supplies to marshalling yards, maintenance depots and stations; e) various other non-traction power supplies from railway sources which are shared with railway traction. Note: Filters operating at railway system voltage (for example, for harmonic suppression or power factor correction) are not included in this standard since each site has special requirements. Filters would normally have separate enclosures with separate rules for access. If electromagnetic limits are required, these will appear in the specification for the equipment. This document specifies limits for emission and immunity and provides performance criteria. The standard does not specify basic personal safety requirements for apparatus such as protection against electric shock, unsafe operation, insulation co-ordination and related dielectric tests. The requirements were developed for and are applicable to this set of apparatus when operating under normal conditions. Fault conditions of the apparatus have not been taken into account. The test frequency range defined in this document is considered to ensure the electromagnetic compatibility of the apparatus in the whole frequency range from 0 Hz (DC) to 400 GHz.

This document applies to emission and immunity aspects of EMC for electrical and electronic apparatus intended for use on railway rolling stock. prEN 50121 3 2:2025 applies for the integration of apparatus on rolling stock. The test frequency range defined in this document is considered to ensure the electromagnetic compatibility of the apparatus in the whole frequency range from 0 Hz (DC) to 400 GHz. The application of tests depends on the particular apparatus, its configuration, its ports, its technology and its operating conditions. This document takes into account the internal environment of the railway rolling stock and the external environment of the railway, and interference to the apparatus from equipment such as hand-held radio-transmitters. This document does not apply to transient emissions when starting or stopping the apparatus. The objective of this document is to define limits and test methods for electromagnetic emissions and immunity test requirements in relation to conducted and radiated disturbances. These limits and tests represent essential electromagnetic compatibility requirements. Emission requirements have been selected so as to ensure that disturbances generated by the apparatus operated normally on railway rolling stock do not exceed a level which could prevent other apparatus from operating as intended. Likewise, the immunity requirements have been selected so as to ensure an adequate level of immunity for rolling stock apparatus. Test requirements are specified for each port considered. AC and DC traction power ports (see Table A.2) are not covered in this document.

This document applies to signalling and telecommunication apparatus (including power supply system belonging to signalling and telecommunication apparatus) that is installed inside interlocking locations, wayside cabinets and other wayside locations including platforms (including vital equipment such as interlocking, signals, point machines, level crossing, etc.). This document specifies limits for emission and immunity and provides performance criteria. The standard does not specify basic personal safety requirements for apparatus such as protection against electric shock, unsafe operation, insulation co-ordination and related dielectric tests. The requirements were developed for and are applicable to this set of apparatus when operating under normal conditions. Fault conditions of the apparatus have not been taken into account. The test frequency range defined in this document is considered to ensure the electromagnetic compatibility of the apparatus in the whole frequency range from 0 Hz (DC) to 400 GHz.

This document specifies the emission limits and immunity requirements for all types of rolling stock. It covers traction stock, hauled stock and trainsets including urban vehicles for use in city streets. The scope of this part of the standard ends at the interface of the rolling stock with its respective energy inputs and outputs. In the case of locomotives, trainsets, trams etc., this is the current collector (pantograph, shoe gear). In the case of hauled stock, this is the AC or DC auxiliary power connector. However, since the current collector is part of the traction stock, it is not entirely possible to exclude the effects of this interface with the power supply line. The slow moving test has been designed to minimize these effects. The frequency range from 150 kHz to 1 GHz is considered sufficient to protect the environment in the whole frequency range from 0 Hz (DC) to 400 GHz. For demonstration of compatibility in this document only measurements at the specified frequencies are required.

This document outlines the structure and the content of the whole set. It provides information about the EMC management. It specifies the performance criteria applicable to the whole standards series. This part alone is not sufficient to give presumption of conformity to the essential requirements of the EMC-Directive and is intended to be used in conjunction with other parts of this standard. The informative Annex A describes the characteristics of the railway system which affect electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) behaviour. Phenomena excluded from the set are Nuclear EM pulse, abnormal operating conditions (e.g. fault conditions) and the induction effects of direct lightning strike. Emission limits at the railway system boundary do not apply to intentional transmitters within the railway system boundaries. Safety considerations are not covered by this set of standards. The biological effects of non-ionizing radiation as well as apparatus for medical assistance, such as pacemakers, are not considered here.

This document is intended to define the electromagnetic environment of the whole railway system including urban mass transit and light rail systems. It describes the measurement method to verify the emissions and gives the cartography values of the fields most frequently encountered. This document specifies the emission limits of the whole railway system to the outside world. The emission parameters refer to the particular measuring points defined in Clause 5. Also, the zones above and below the railway system can be affected by electromagnetic emissions and particular cases need to be considered individually. For existing railway systems, it is assumed that compliance with the emission requirements of prEN 50121-3-1:2025, prEN 50121-3-2:2025, prEN 50121-4:2025 and prEN 50121-5:2025 will ensure the compliance with the emission values given in this part. This document gives emission limits for newly built railway systems (not yet in operation) with different characteristics (e.g. higher design speed of the line, static switching components) in comparison with existing railway systems.