UNE-EN 50343-2014 PDF

Full title and description

STB UNE-EN 50343-2014 — Railway applications — Rolling stock — Rules for installation of cabling. This European standard specifies requirements for selection, installation and testing of electrical cabling (including cables, busbars, terminals and plug/socket devices) on railway vehicles and within electrical enclosures on board (covers conventional rolling stock, magnetic‑levitation trains and trolley buses; excludes special conductors such as fibre optics and certain special-purpose vehicles).

Abstract

EN 50343:2014 defines safe and interoperable installation practices for cabling in rolling stock: conductor sizing and short‑time current considerations, mechanical fixing and bending radii, terminations and connections, protective bonding and return current paths, EMC and screening guidance, fire behaviour and selection criteria, marking and identification, plus inspection and testing procedures and informative annexes with calculation examples. The document was issued as the 2014 edition and later received an amendment (A1:2017).

General information

• Status: Published (CENELEC European Standard, nationally adopted as UNE‑EN). Superseded / replaced by the revised EN 50343:2024 in national catalogues (national withdrawal/replacement took place in late 2024 in several bodies).
• Publication date: 2014 (original EN publication May 2014; national adoptions around 2014).
• Publisher: Originator: CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization); national adoption published under UNE/AENOR (UNE‑EN designation) where applicable.
• ICS / categories: Railway rolling stock in general — ICS 45.060.01.
• Edition / version: EN 50343:2014 (with amendment A1:2017 issued subsequently).
• Number of pages: National publications list between ~69 and ~74 pages (typical published page counts: 69 pages reported by some National Bodies; other catalogues list 70–74 pages depending on layout).

Scope

This standard applies to the installation of cabling on railway vehicles and within electrical enclosures on railway vehicles (including maglev and trolley buses — for trolley buses the standard applies to the whole electric traction system). It covers design and installation rules for copper‑conductor cables used for power, control and monitoring, together with busbars, terminals and plug/socket devices; it explicitly excludes special effect conductors (e.g., fibre optic waveguides) and certain special‑purpose vehicle classes. The standard is intended to be used alongside relevant product standards and cable manufacturers’ documents (references include EN 50264, EN 50306, EN 50382, EN 50355).

Key topics and requirements

• Cable selection and conductor sizing (continuous current, protection device coordination and short‑time current calculations; annexed calculation methods).
• Mechanical installation: fixing methods, allowable bending radii, minimising chafing and strain, routing and support spacing.
• Termination and connection requirements: acceptable termination methods, busbar and bolted connections, tensile pull‑out considerations and testing.
• Protective bonding, earth/return current path rules and measures to ensure safety and EMC performance.
• Electromagnetic compatibility guidance: cable categorisation, separation distances, screening and earthing for data and power lines.
• Fire and safety criteria for cable selection and routing; behaviour in fire and measures to reduce fire hazard.
• Marking, identification and documentation of cabling, terminals and harnesses.
• Inspection, verification and test procedures for installed cabling (insulation, voltage withstand, continuity, impedance where applicable).
• Informative annexes providing calculation examples, lifetime considerations and recommended practices for maintenance and refurbishment.

Typical use and users

Used by rolling‑stock designers and integrators, cable and harness manufacturers, vehicle installers, maintenance organizations, system engineers (power, control and signal), EMC engineers, certification bodies and procurement teams who need to specify or verify compliant cabling installations on railway vehicles. It supports technical compliance, safety reviews and interoperability checks during design, commissioning and maintenance.

Related standards

Commonly referenced standards and documents include EN 50264 series, EN 50306 series, EN 50382 series, EN 50355 (cable maker / product standards), plus the amendment EN 50343:2014/A1:2017 and the later revision EN 50343:2024 which updates and replaces the 2014 edition in many national catalogs.

Keywords

railway, rolling stock, cabling, wiring, installation rules, cable sizing, terminations, busbars, EMC, protective bonding, fire behaviour, UNE‑EN 50343, EN 50343:2014, amendment A1:2017, cabling installation

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: EN 50343:2014 is a CENELEC European standard (adopted nationally as UNE‑EN) that sets rules and requirements for the installation of electrical cabling on railway vehicles and inside onboard electrical enclosures.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers selection and sizing of copper‑conductor cables, mechanical installation practices (fixing, bending radii), terminations and connections, protective bonding and return paths, EMC guidance, fire‑related criteria, marking and testing/inspection procedures. It excludes fibre‑optic waveguides and certain special‑purpose vehicle categories.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Vehicle designers, cable/harness manufacturers, installers, maintenance teams, system and EMC engineers, certification and conformity assessment bodies, and procurement/specification authors working on rolling stock projects.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2014 edition (EN 50343:2014) has been amended (A1:2017) and, in many national catalogues, has been superseded by a later revision published as EN 50343:2024 (replacement/withdrawal actions were recorded in late 2024). Users should consult their national standards body for the current applicable version and national adoption status.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — EN 50343 sits alongside other railway cabling and cable product standards (for example the EN 50264, EN 50306, EN 50382 and EN 50355 series) and is intended to be used in conjunction with relevant product and safety standards.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: railway cabling, rolling stock wiring, cable installation, terminations, busbars, EMC, protective bonding, fire behaviour, UNE‑EN 50343, EN 50343:2014.