PKP classification system

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PKP classification system (Polish locomotive designation) is a system of assigning letters and numbers to series and individual locomotives used by the PKP - Polish national railroad operator.

The system was introduced for the steam stock by the Ministry of Railways on 3 November 1922, shortly after Poland regained her independence (1918) when the Polish railroads inherited a variety of German, Austrian and Russian steam locomotives, each with its own type convention.^[1] It was put into use in 1923–1926 years. The adopted solution allows telling the locomotive type (passenger/freight/mixed), wheel arrangement, origin and some other information from the type designation. After World War II a similar system was also adapted for diesel and electric locomotives.

In the case of electric and diesel locomotives, and multiple units, a designation consists of two capital letters and two digits, without a space between letters and digits. The first letter E or S indicates a kind of traction (electric or diesel), the second letter indicates a locomotive purpose. Digits mark subsequent classes, and their ranges also carry additional information on construction features. Some railcar classes have three digits.

• E - electric locomotive (Polish: elektryczna)
• S - diesel locomotive (Polish: spalinowa)

• P - passenger locomotive (Polish: pasażerska)
• T - freight locomotive (Polish: towarowa)
• U - mixed-traffic locomotive (Polish: uniwersalna - universal)
• M - shunting locomotive (Polish: manewrowa)

• W - for high platforms (Polish: wysoki)
• N - for both high and low platforms (Polish: niski)
• D - for long distance traffic (Polish: dalekobieżny)

• D - for long-distance traffic
• N - for suburban traffic
• R - special purpose (mobile workshops, emergency use etc.)
• A - railbus (Polish: autobus szynowy)

• 01-14 - four axles, Bo-Bo, direct current, 3 kV
• 15-19 - four axles, Bo-Bo, alternating current
• 20-34 - six axles, Co-Co, direct current, 3 kV
• 35-39 - six axles, Co-Co, alternating current
• 40-49 - other types

In the case of electric and diesel locomotives consisting of two cars, the letters A and B were added after the serial number for each car but the number is still the same for both the cars or after important modernisation (look for EU07A).

• 51–64 – three-car set, 3 kV DC
• 65–69 – three-car set, AC
• 70–74 – four-car set, 3 kV DC
• 75–79 – four-car set, AC
• 80–89 – single electric car, any voltage or type of current
• 90–93 – two car sets, 800 V DC
• 94–99 – other

Every car in a multiple unit is further designated by its own suffix:

• s – (silnikowy) motor car (with or without a driver's cab)
• d – (doczepny) trailer car without a driver's cab
• r – (rozrządczy) trailer car with a driver's cab

If there is more than one car of a given designation in a unit, they are further identified with the letter 'a' or 'b'. For example, a typical 3-car EMU class EN57 consists of the following cars:

• ra (trailer car with a driver's cab)
• s (motor car, in this case without a driver's cab)
• rb (trailer car with a driver's cab)

Another 3-car EMU, class EW58, consists of the following cars:

• sa (motor car, in this case with a driver's cab)
• d (trailer car without a driver's cab)
• sb (motor car, in this case with a driver's cab)

Example of a single car's designation: EN57-830ra.

• 01–09 – mechanical transmission, no multiple-unit control
• 10–14 – mechanical transmission, multiple-unit control
• 15–24 – hydraulic transmission, no multiple-unit control
• 25–29 – hydraulic transmission, multiple-unit control
• 30–39 – electric transmission, no multiple-unit control
• 40–49 – electric transmission, multiple-unit control

• 51–59 – mechanical transmission, no multiple-unit control
• 60–69 – mechanical transmission, multiple-unit control
• 70–79 – hydraulic or hydro-mechanical transmission, no multiple-unit control
• 80–89 – hydraulic transmission, multiple-unit control
• 90–94 – electric transmission, no multiple-unit control
• 95–99 – electric transmission, multiple-unit control

Designations of standard gauge PKP steam locomotives consist of two letters (or three letters in case of tank locomotives) and a number written directly behind the letters. Designations of narrow gauge locomotives follow other rules.

The upper case letter means:

• P - fast train locomotive (Polish: pospieszna)
• O - mixed/stopping train traffic (Polish: osobowa - passenger)
• T - freight locomotive (Polish: towarowa)

Last letter (lower case) indicates the wheel arrangement, in increasing order of the number of driving axles.

• a - one driving axle, any number of unpowered axles
• b - 0-4-0
• c - 2-4-0 or 0-4-2
• d - 4-4-0 or 0-4-4
• e - 2-4-2
• f - 4-4-2 or 2-4-4
• g - two driving axles, more than three unpowered axles,
• h - 0-6-0
• i - 2-6-0 or 0-6-2
• k - 4-6-0 or 0-6-4
• l - 2-6-2
• m - 4-6-2
• n - 2-6-4
• o - three driving axles, more than three unpowered axles
• p - 0-8-0
• r - 2-8-0 or 0-8-2
• s - 4-8-0 or 0-8-4
• t - 2-8-2
• u - four driving axles, more than two unpowered axles
• w - 0-10-0
• y - 2-10-0
• z - five driving axles, more than one unpowered axle

In the case of tank engines, the letters designating the type of engine and the wheel arrangement are separated by a K (upper case). Thus TKt48 is a 2-8-2T tank locomotive of Polish design introduced in 1948.

• 1-10 - German or Prussian origin steam engine^[1]
• 11-19 - Austrian origin steam engine^[1]
• 20-99 - Polish-ordered steam engine, number stood for the last two digits of the year in which the type was approved for production^[1]
• 100 - different atypical stock, acquired after 1945, including former private and industry locomotives^[2]
• 101-199 - Other foreign steam engine, acquired by PKP between 1918 and 1939 (including German land railways other, than Prussian)
• 201-299 - Other foreign production steam engine, acquired by PKP after 1945^[1]

Following the letters and numbers described above, the serial number of each individual locomotive is stated. This consists of several digits, separated from the type designation characters by a dash.

• First number of tender classification described water capacity in cubic meters made even upwards.^[1]

• Letter described the number of axles, i.e.:^[1]
  • B - two axles
  • C - three axles
  • D - four axles

• This referred to the year of construction, so number 23 means the construction was approved in 1923. Numbers 1 to 10 meant Prussian or German origin, 11 to 19 - Austrian origin, above 101 - other foreign origin.^[1]

A tender numbered 22D23 can carry up to 22 m³ of water, has four axles, and its construction was approved in 1923.

• PKP