German Train Class (br) Numbers And Other Rolling Stock Classifications

As you will have already noticed, German rolling stock is classified, as most places around the world, with the help of a number. This thread is about the history and system behind the BR classification (class number), the VDEV / UIC classification (wheel arrangement), the old BG classification (locomotive type) used on steam engines and the UIC-BA classification (waggons and coaches).
For a better overview, I have arranged the history into different eras. Please note that these eras were "created" by myself for this thread and are in no way official or commonly used when talking about this subject.

Overview:

• BR system
  • Classification
    
  • History
    • Background
    • Era 1.0
    • Era 1.1
    • Era 2.0.W
    • Era 2.0.E
    • Era 2.1
    • Era 2.2
• VDEV / UIC system
• BG system
• UIC-BA system
• Examples

BR system:
The "Baureihennummer" (construction series number) or short BR classification system is the main classification system used in Germany for traction vehicles (powered vehicles).

Classification:

Except for very modern rolling stock, the number is a six-digit number, with the first three numbers specifying the class and the last three numbers specifying the individual unit.
The first digit is specifying the type of vehicle:

0: Steam locomotives
1: Electric locomotives
2: Diesel locomotives
3: Shunters
4: Electric MUs
5: Battery MUs
6: Diesel MUs
7: Rail Bus and Maintenance Vehicles
8: Middle, Trailer and Control Cars for Electric MUs
9: Middle, Trailer and Control Cars for Diesel MUs and Rail Buses​

The second digit can specify the vehicle further. It depends on the main category if there are such sub-groups and what they mean. Example (Electric Locomotives):

0-1: Express-Train Locomotives
2-4: Multi-Purpose Locomotives
5: Freight Locomotives
6: Shunting Locomotives
7: Multi-Purpose Locomotives
8: Multi-System Locomotives
9: Freight Locomotives​

The third digit specifies the individual class.

The sometimes printed standalone number behind a dash is a control number to ensure the number is correct when entered into a computer.

Very modern rolling stock can divert from this pattern. More about that in sub-section Era 2.2.

The Austrian BR system is very similar to the German system. The main difference is an added number at the second position (number 2 and 3 in the German system shift to number 3 and 4 in Austria). This additional number distinguishes different variants of the same class (for example a single voltage and a multi-voltage variant).​

History:

Background:

Originally Germany's railways were formed out of nine different state railways, with entirely separate networks, rolling stock and operations. In the first World War however, this became apparent as a major flaw in the system. The railway was the major transporting method for troops and equipment. Many times train crews had to drive with rolling stock from other companies which they were not trained on. The uncentralised network also brought massive delays and planning errors which were not aiding the war effort.
After the war plans were made to fuse all of Germany's railways to one national railway company. In 1920 the Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft DRG (German Empire Railway Company) was formed. The DRG standardised everything from controls on steam locomotives, to signals and operations, which influences the railways in Germany even to this day.
In the beginning, the DRG had to take over the locomotives from the former state railways. As every railway had its own classification system, a new replacement system had to be designed.
​

Era 1.0:

The first system was based on a two-digit number for the locomotive class.
The following sub-sections were created:

00-19: Express-train locomotives
20-39: Passenger-train locomotives
40-59: Freight-train locomotives
60-79: Express- and Passenger-train tank locomotives
80-96: Freight-train tank locomotives
97-98: Cogwheel- and Local-Railway locomotives
99: Narrow-Gauge locomotives
​

The lower numbers of the sections were reserved for upcoming new DRG locomotives whilst the higher numbers were assinged to the existing rolling stock, taken over from the state railways. As there were to many types of rolling stock for this numbering system, DRG implied the following system:
All trains with the same wheel arrangement were assinged to the same BR number. To differentiate the still very different locomotives which now used the same BR number, these were grouped under the first digit of the unit number. These subgroups were indicated by an added digit behind the BR number, separated by a dot.
Example:

BR 38.0: Bayerische P 3/5 N
BR 38.2–3: Sächsische XII H2
BR 38.4: Bayerische P 3/5 H
BR 38.5: JDŽ 109
BR 38.10–40: Preußische P 8
BR 38.41: BBÖ 209, JDŽ 03
BR 38.42–44: ČSD-Baureihe 354.4
BR 38.45–46: PKP-Baureihe Ok22
BR 38.70: Badische IV e​

​

Era 1.1:

In the late 1920s and early 1930s more and more non-steam rolling stock entered service on the german network. These got a letter added in front of their number to indicate the different method of propulsion:

E: Electric Locomotives ("Elektrisch")
V: Diesel Locomoitves ("Verbrenner")
K: Shunting Locomotives ("Klein")
ET: Electric MUs ("Elektrisch Triebwagen")
ETA: Battery MUs ("Elektrisch Triebwagen Akkumulator")
VT: Diesel MUs ("Verbrenner Triebwagen")​

Every method of propulsion also had its own system for assigning numbers. Electric units often were classified by the purpose, Diesel units often by their power or speed.​

​

Era 2.0.W:

The Era 1 system remained unchanged up to the late 60s. In 1968 the Deutsche Bundesbahn (West German Federal Railway) changed this system to be compatible with computers, which at that time were capable to handle numbers way better. Therefore the letters were replaced by numbers and the BR numbers fixed to a length of three digits (see the system above under Classification).
​

Era 2.0.E:

The Deutsche Reichsbahn (East German State Railway) changed its classification system in 1970. The numbers were also three digits. 0 was assigned to steam locomotives, 1 to diesel vehicles and 2 to electric vehicles. There was no distinction between locomotives and MUs in the first digit, these were made in the second digit.
​

Era 2.1:

In 1992 the DB AG was formed by fusing the West German DB and East German DR and privatising the company in this operation. Due to its lower count of rolling stock and many locomotives being directly put out of services it was decided to implement the East German fleet into the DB classification system.
​

Era 2.2:

In the 2000s the BR classification system was integrated into the UIC (international) classification system, which added country and operator codes in front of the vehicle number and an extra number to the class number.
During the last decade, the numbers were in danger to run out, mainly caused by the large number of EMUs that were based on the same model but had enough differences to get a new BR number (e.g. Bombardier Talent 2, Siemens Desiro HC). The main system that seems to be used for such occasions is to add a number in front of the classic BR number to differentiate to different variants.
On the new Stadler KISS IC2 (BR 4110) trains on the other hand an extra number was added at the end of the BR number, resulting in a weird situation where this could be interpreted as a sub-variant of the BR 110.
​

VDEV / UIC system:

The UIC classification system uses the wheel arrangement of the rolling stock. The system was originally invented by the Verein Deutscher Eisenbahnverwaltungen (German Railway Administration Club) and was taken over by the UIC.
General:
Number (1,2,3): non-driven axles
Letter (A,B,C): driven axels
Letter + o (Ao, Bo): individually driven axels
Letter/Number + Apostrophe (1', A'): Axles on bogie
Brackets ((1'C)(C1')): Groups of axels in a combined frame or bogie
Plus (B+B): Units that are normally combined into one vehicle (MU)

Steam locomotives:
h: superheated steam ("Heißdampf", >100°C over boiling point)
t: dry steam ("Trockendampf", <100°C over boiling point)
n: wet steam ("Nassdampf")
v: compund engine ("Verbundmaschine")
Number (n4v): number of cylinders
​

BG system:

The "Betriebsgattungszeichen" (service category sign) was a secondary classification method used by the DRG. These showed the main use for the locomotive as well as their total and driven axle count and axle load.
Main Sign:

S: Express-Train Locomotive ("Schnellzug", BR 01-19)
P: Passenger-Train Locomotive ("Personenzug", BR 20-39)
G: Freight-Train Locomotive ("Güterzug", BR 40-59)
St: Express-Train Tank Locomotive ("Schnellzug Tender", BR 60-79)
Pt: Passenger-Train Tank Locomotive ("Personenzug Tender", BR 60-79)
Gt: Freight-Train Tank Locomotive ("Güterzug Tender", BR 80-96)
Z: Cogwheel Locomotive ("Zahnrad", BR 97)
L: Lokal-Railway Locomotive ("Lokalbahn", BR 98)
K: Narrow-Gauge Railway Locomotive ("Kleinbahn", BR 99)
​

Axle Sign:

First Digit (S36.20): Driven Axles
Second Digit (S36.20): Total Axles
Third and Fourth Digit (S36.20): Axle load
​

Additional Sign:

▲: Vehicle larger than vehicle gauge
▲+ ▬: (Removable) Chimney larger than vehicle gauge
​

UIC-BA system:

The "UIC-Bauart" (UIC-construction type) is an international system to classify passenger and freight cars. These consist of a letter designation describing the features of the car and a class number to distinguish cars with the same attributes from another. Whilst the letter designation is standardised internationally, the class number is chosen on a national scale.
Passenger Cars:

A: Coach, 1st class
B: Coach, 2nd class
AB: Coach, 1st and 2nd class
AR: Dining Car and 1st class Coach
BR: Dining Car and 2nd class Coach
AD: Luggage Car and 1st class Coach
BD: Luggage Car and 2nd class Coach
D: Luggage Car
DA: Double Decker Car 1st Class
DB: Double Decker Car 2nd Class
DAB: Double Decker Car 1st and 2nd Class
DD: Double Decker Luggage Car
Post: Mail Car
BPost: Mail Car and 2nd class Coach
DPost: Mail and Luggage Car
S: Saloon Car
WG: Party Car
WLA: Sleeping Car 1st class
WLB: Sleeping Car 2nd class
WLAB: Sleeping Car 1st and 2nd class
WR: Dining Car
KA: Narrow-Gauge 1st class Coach
KB: Narrow-Gauge 2nd class Coach
KD: Narrow-Gauge Luggage Car
Z: Prison Car
​

Freight Cars:

E: Open Wagon standard construction
F: Open Wagon special construction
G: Closed Wagon standard construction
H: Closed Wagon special construction
I: Refrigerator Wagon
K: Flat Wagon non-bogie standard construction
L: Flat Wagon non-bogie special construction
O: Open Multi-Purpose Wagon
R: Flat Wagon bogie standard construction
S: Flat Wagon bogie special construction
T: Wagon with openable roof
U: Special Wagon
Z: Tank Wagon
​

Examples:
Locomotive:

BR 01 (01 118 | 2’C1’ h2 | S36.20)


01: Steam Express-Train Locomotive Class 1
118: Vehicle number

2': 2 pusher axles in a bogie
C: 3 driven axles
1': 1 trailer axles in a bogie
h2: superheated steam, 2 cylinder

S: Express-Train Locomotive
3: 3 driven axles
6: 6 total axles
20: 20t axle load
▬
▲: Removable chimney larger than vehicle gauge

​

Coach:

Bpmmbdzf 286

B: 2nd class coach
p: open coach ("pullman"), climatised
mm: modernised M-Wagen (length >24,5m)
b: disability-friendly ("behindertengerecht")
d: multi-purpose or bike rack section
z: electronic train supply ("Zugsammelschiene")
f: cab car
2: 2nd generation IC car
8: modernised IC car
6: class number​