PKP classification system

Electric and diesel locomotives

In case of electric and diesel locomotives, and multiple units, a designation consists of two capital letter 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 an additional information on construction features. Some railcar classes have three digits.

First letter

E - electric locomotive (Polish: elektryczna)

S - diesel locomotive (Polish: spalinowa)

Locomotives

P - passenger locomotive (Polish: pasażerska)

T - freight locomotive (Polish: towarowa)

U - mixed-traffic locomotive (Polish: uniwersalna - universal)

M - shunting locomotive (Polish: manewrowa)

Electric multiple units

W - for high platforms (Polish: wysoki)

N - for both high and low platforms (Polish: niski)

D - for long distance traffic (Polish: dalekobieżny)

Diesel railcars and multiple units

D - for long-distance traffic

N - for suburban traffic

R - special purpose (mobile workshops, emergency use etc.)

A - railbus (Polish: autobus szynowy)

Electric locomotives

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.

Electric multiple units

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 are more than one car of a given designation in a unit, they are further identified with 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.

Diesel locomotives

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

Diesel railcars and multiple units

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

Steam locomotives

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.

First letter

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

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

Middle letter

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.

Number

1-10 - German or Prussian origin steam engine

11-19 - Austrian origin steam engine

20-99 - Polish-ordered steam engine, number stood for the last two digits of the year in which the type was approved for production

100 - different atypical stock, acquired after 1945, including former private and industry locomotives

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

Serial numbers

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

First number of tender classification described water capacity in cubic meters made even upwards.

Letter

Letter described the number of axles, i.e.:

B - two axles

C - three axles

D - four axles

Second number

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.

An example

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