EN 15152 Railway Applications - Windshields for Trains

The European standard “EN 15152 Railway applications - Windshields for trains” describes the functional requirements for rail vehicle windshields, including type testing, routine testing and inspection methods for high-speed train, heavy train, light train and metro applications.

This standard also applies to tram vehicles. The requirements of this standard apply to rail machines in transport mode (self-propelled or towed). Rail machines in operating configuration are outside the scope of this standard. Furthermore, the determination of the size, shape, orientation and position of windshields is outside the scope of this standard. These data are part of the windshield technical specification. This standard applies to windshields made of laminated glass, the most commonly used material, but is also applicable to other materials provided that the performance requirements are met. This standard does not specify requirements for the interfaces between the windshield and the vehicle. Accordingly, this standard does not address issues related to installation, structural integrity and crashworthiness.

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply:

• Glass refers to glass or equivalent transparent material.
• The windshield is the glass in front of a driver or passenger through which they can see the track in front of them.
• The driver's windshield is the windshield that the driver uses to observe the tracks and signals during service.
• The side windshield is an additional glass installed on the side of a windshield that is positioned primarily transversely to the direction of operation.
• The passenger windshield is the windshield intended primarily for passenger use in the front ends of rail vehicles.
• The primary field of view is the windshield area where the track and signals can be seen from the driving position.
• The secondary field of view is the area of ​​the windshield outside the primary field of view that the driver can also look at from the driving position.
• The peripheral area is the area of ​​the windshield outside the secondary field of vision. The peripheral area includes the screen-printed areas.
• Secondary image separation is the angular separation between the primary and brightest secondary images (due to internal reflection) of a distant light source or object when viewed through glass.
• Ultraviolet radiation is UV electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than visible light. For the purposes of this standard, the wavelength is between 200 nm and 380 nm.
• Spatter is the separation of small glass particles from the surface of a window pane when an impact is applied to the opposite side. Spatter here describes the separation of spatter from the inner surface of a windshield or window when the outer surface is impacted.

In this standard, the functional requirements are specified as follows:

• Windshield classification: Windshields are positioned to allow observation of the track and signals ahead of a vehicle. Additional side windows or windows may be provided to the side of the windshield or windshields.

The classification of rail vehicle glass (windshields, side windshields or body side windows) affects the required characteristics and depends primarily on the orientation relative to the track. For the purpose of determining the orientation of a windshield, only those glass parts that, when removed, would create an opening in the vehicle structure and expose the occupants to the outside are taken into account. Glass covering lights, information displays or extending above the structure for aesthetic purposes is therefore excluded.

Unless the requirements for driver's cabs apply, when the projected forward-facing area determined in accordance with Annex A is less than or equal to 0,065 m2, the glass is considered a body side window and therefore falls outside the scope of this standard.

For windshields that can be considered forward-looking (including those not required or intended for direct observation of the road or signals), the maximum and minimum plan viewing angles shall be determined in accordance with Annex A. For driver windshields with a central driving position, the plan viewing angle may be assumed to be 0 degrees. The maximum and minimum inclination angles shall be determined in accordance with Annex A. For curved windshields, the method specified in Annex A shall be followed for determining the plan viewing and inclination angles.

Maximum and minimum mounting angles shall be determined using the maximum and minimum plan viewing angles and maximum and minimum tilt angles and the relationship between them. Maximum and minimum windshield plan viewing angles, tilt angles and mounting angles shall form part of the specification for manufacture and testing.

Where samples are used to determine optical properties, the maximum mounting angle should be used. Where samples are used to determine mechanical properties such as impact resistance, the minimum mounting angle should be used.

• Driver's windshields: All windows in driver's cabs that are completely or partially in front of the driver's seat reference point when measured in the longitudinal direction are considered to be windshields or side windshields. Where two or more windshields are fitted (for example, two on each side of a cab end aisle) and only one of them is required to be the driver's windshield, the requirements for driver's windshields apply to both (or all) windshields. For driver's windshields, the plan viewing angle is determined using the points defining the primary field of vision.

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