Biggest INDIAN WDM-3D 6535 with BCNA in ISD jn

BCNA

Definition : Bogie Covered Watertight wagon with cast steel bogie & Air brake


BCNABCNA wagon - The BCNA wagon, also known as 'BCN/A', is a variant of the BCN design was developed to be less long but increased height to keep the capacity the same. It has welded construction compared to the original BCN which was riveted. BCNA wagons are covered bogie wagons (capable of being made water-tight for delicate commodities) with cartridge tapered roller bearings, cast steel bogie, air brakes. Two doors on each side. Uses BCN design's 2-tonne overload capacity. Also very common, there are more than 42,000 of these in use [2006]. Used for foodstuffs, cement, etc. (but see the BCCN wagon below, especially for cement transport, and BCX, which are also used for bulk food transport).

BCNA means Bogie Covered Watertight wagon with cast steel bogie & air brake.

How are freight cars classifed by IR?
The following codes are used now for classifying freight cars. The classification scheme is not entirely systematic. Older wagons especially have codes that are not easily explained in this way. But in general an optional gauge code is followed by a type code which is followed by an indication of the coupler and whether the wagon is air-braked.

Gauge code
M : (prefix) MG
N : (prefix) NG
Wagon type code
B : (prefix) Bogie wagon (sometimes omitted)
BV : Brake van
V : Brake/parcel van (see above for brake van codes)
O : Open wagon (gondola)
C : Covered wagon (boxcar)
F : Flat car
FK : Flat car for container transport
FU : Well wagon
LA : Low flat car with standard buffer height
LB : Low flat car with low buffer height
LAB : Low flat car, one end with low buffers, the other with high buffers
R : Rail-carrying wagon
T : Tanker (additional letters indicate material carried)
U : Well wagon
W : Well wagon
K : Open wagon: ballast / material / refuse transport (older wagons)
C : Centre discharge
S : Side discharge
R : Rapid (forced) discharge, bottom discharge
X : Both centre and side discharge
X : (also?) High sided
Y : Low (medium?) side walls
L : Low sided
H : Heavy load
The ‘B’ indication is sometimes omitted as all new wagons are bogie stock.

Following the type code in the classification code a letter may denote the type of coupler, nowadays optional, as all new freight cars are fitted with centre buffer couplers (CBC). An 'N' suffix is for 'pneumatic', or air-braked wagons. Most newer stock that is air-braked also has CBC couplers, so the 'C' is usually dropped. E.g., BOXN for air-braked BOX wagons, not BOXCN. Almost all the older stock is vacuum-braked.

Coupler, brake, and other suffixes:
C = Centre buffer coupler (CBC)
R = Screw coupling only
T = Transition coupler (CBC with additional side buffers and screw coupling)
N = Air-braked
M = (suffix) Military

March 2022