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The route availability for a line is calculated by taking into account bridge strength, track condition, structural issues and so on. A route availability of one (RA1) is the most restricted line, open to possibly one type of locomotive specially designed for it. A route availability of 10 is the
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is also allocated an RA (again between 1 and 10) and the RA of a train is the highest RA of any of its elements. The train must have a route availability (RA) lower than or equal to the RA of a line to be allowed to use it. The RA is primarily related to the
428:. That is, how much of the laden weight of the vehicle is distributed on each axle. The more weight on each axle, the higher the RA number, and the more restricted the vehicle is. For wagons it is normal to have different RAs when running empty and full.
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Thus a locomotive with RA 1 is able to work on any line, although it will have a very light axle loading. An RA 10 locomotive could only work upon an RA 10 line, placing severe restrictions on where it can be used.
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Exemptions may be obtained to allow locomotives to operate on lines from which they may otherwise be banned. An exemption might be granted by placing a speed restriction over a weak bridge, for example.
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If a vehicle has wheels that require significant balance weights, often found on steam locomotives, the dynamic loading resulting in what is termed the
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326:. The withdrawn loco 01001 is just visible at the rear. They had an RA of 1, and thus had the fewest axle load related restrictions put upon them.
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682:"Interface between Rail Vehicle Weights and Underline Bridges - Appendix C - Flow chart of Procedure for Permitting a Train to Run"
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The RA of a locomotive must not exceed the RA of the track except under strictly controlled circumstances.
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to ascertain which locomotives can work on which lines throughout the rail network in Great
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featured a coloured disc painted on the locomotive cab side to indicate its route availability:
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of the vehicle, although axle spacing is also taken into consideration. In practice it is the
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that has been 'passed' for it (checked for conflicts with infrastructure such as platforms).
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GE/RT8006 Assessment of
Compatibility of Rail Vehicle Weights and Underline Bridges
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have a high RA when fully loaded. (When considering the operation of trains the
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which governs where trains may operate, although many high capacity 4 axle
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196:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
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Safety & Standards
Directorate, Railtrack PLC (December 2000).
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British
Railways Board Group Standard for Route Availability
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most open, usable by any locomotive that fits within the GB
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locomotive has a somewhat limited Route availability of 8
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railway companies had their own classification systems.
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System for grading the railway network of Great
Britain
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currently gives the allowed axle loadings as follows:
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Rail speed limits in the United States#Track classes
90:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
772:2D53 Introduction to Route Availability and tables
604:over 16 long tons 0 cwt, up to 17 long tons 12 cwt
813:British Rail numbering and classification systems
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746:The Last Steam Locomotives of British Railways
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288:, 1988 with a medium Route availability of 5.
588:14 long tons 0 cwt up to 16 long tons 0 cwt
268:. This class has a Route availability of 6.
53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
803:Rail infrastructure in the United Kingdom
442:action may affect the RA of the vehicle.
230:Learn how and when to remove this message
212:Learn how and when to remove this message
150:Learn how and when to remove this message
713:Network Rail Loading Gauge documentation
353:are graded. All routes are allocated an
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248:With its relatively high axle load, the
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266:Birmingham New Street railway station
767:Network Rail infrastructure capacity
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383:The system was first devised by the
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88:adding citations to reliable sources
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452:Axle loading by Route Availability
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416:Route availability for a vehicle (
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322:shunter 01002 inside the shed at
34:This article has multiple issues.
808:London and North Eastern Railway
385:London and North Eastern Railway
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724:Network Rail Route Availability
555:Axle load (long tons & cwt)
541:GWR's system for classification
75:needs additional citations for
42:or discuss these issues on the
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424:) is generally based upon its
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337:) is the system by which the
299:No. D9526 (as preserved) at
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784:(live issues) at RGS Online
744:Ransome-Wallis, P. (1966).
734:Ransome-Wallis (1966) p.181
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311:and less limited R.A. of 4.
286:Muir of Ord railway station
192:the claims made and adding
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380:must also be considered.)
357:number between 1 and 10.
777:Network Rail Information
620:over 17 long tons 12 cwt
572:up to 14 long tons 0 cwt
547:GWR Route Availability
607:35,800–39,400 lb
591:31,400–35,800 lb
341:and supporting works (
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305:West Somerset Railway
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284:large logo livery at
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748:. Ian Allan Limited.
412:Vehicle calculations
99:"Route availability"
84:improve this article
694:on 11 December 2007
636:22 long tons 10 cwt
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457:Route Availability
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687:. Archived from
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561:Axle load (t)
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518:≈22.5 tonnes
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763:(historical)
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696:. Retrieved
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82:Please help
77:verification
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36:Please help
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642:22.9 t
626:17.9 t
585:Yellow disc
578:14.2 t
552:Disc colour
440:hammer blow
347:embankments
792:Categories
667:References
514:EU average
460:Axle Load
418:locomotive
370:locomotive
262:Class 86/2
186:improve it
110:newspapers
39:improve it
698:17 August
601:Blue disc
569:(no disc)
366:axle load
309:axle load
202:June 2023
190:verifying
140:June 2023
45:talk page
655:See also
617:Red disc
535:Big Four
320:Class 01
301:Williton
297:Class 14
278:Class 37
250:Class 67
529:Before
343:bridges
303:on the
184:Please
124:scholar
564:Notes
374:wagons
307:a low
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119:
112:
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692:(pdf)
685:(PDF)
648:only
422:wagon
131:JSTOR
117:books
700:2008
533:the
505:RA10
103:news
497:RA9
489:RA8
481:RA6
473:RA5
465:RA3
420:or
280:in
188:by
86:by
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355:RA
345:,
335:RA
276:A
260:A
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
