The first measures have been taken to start the re-construction of high-level passenger platforms for passenger convenience. Recently there has been elaborated and registered a new standard for passenger platforms in the routes of 1520 mm gauge.
Elaboration of the standard was based on foreign experience, as well as the peculiarities of 1520 mm gauge were taken into account to harmonize them with the adopted technical specification of European railways on railway transport accessibility for the disabled people.
In compliance with standard requirements it will be further allowed to construct by necessity both low-level and high-level platforms. High-level platforms have to conform to the following basic parameters: dimension of vertical construction or distance between railhead and surface of passenger platform is determined 550 mm; and dimension of horizontal construction or distance between railway track axis line and passenger platform edge is 1920 mm. The basic parameters of platforms determine construction requirements for new passenger rolling stock, for instance, stair height and floor level.
Application of standard requirements is voluntary until the proposed amendments of the Cabinet of Ministers in “Railway Technical Exploitation Rules” with a reference to the new standard LVS448:2008 for passenger platforms in the routes of 1520 mm gauge will come into force.
The new standard was registered in March this year in national standardization body Latvijas standarts (Latvian Standard). The text is available also at LDz Documentation Centre.
Prepared by:
LDz Public Relations Division
SJSC Latvijas dzelzceļš
Phone: +371 6723 4909