The ROA Vehicle Coding System

By the late 1970’s the variation in wagon standards and identification, caused by the expansion of the interstate standard gauge rail system in Australia, was becoming overwhelming. A national standard of wagon classification and safety limitations was needed.

The ’Railways of Australia’ organization had been formed to help organize and coordinate rail traffic with completion the standard gauge trans-continental line across Australia in mid 1970. It was this organization the recommended the following 4-letter system. Modern additions to the coding have been included.

First Letter – denotes wagon owner

A – Australian National Railways (ANR) – then Australian Railroad Group (ARG)

C – Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (CFCLA)

E - Australian Traction Corporation (Austrac)

G – Great Northern (GN)

L – Lachlan Valley Rail Freight (LVRF)

M – Manildra Group

N – State Rail Authority of NSW (SRA)

P – Private wagon Operators (includes Nova Coal, Patrick Rail, FCL etc)

Q – Queensland Government Railways (QR)

R – National Rail Corporation (NRC)

S – Silverton Tramway Company

T – TNT / Toll Holdings

V – Victorian Railways (VR)

W – West Australian Government Railways (WAGR)

Second Letter – denotes vehicle type

B – Covered Van O – Open Wagon

C – Coil Steel wagon P – Pneumatic Discharge Hopper

D – Departmental Wagon Q – Container Wagon

F – Flat Wagon R – Refrigerated Wagon

G – Grain Hopper S – Livestock Wagon

H – Hopper (Coal) T – Tank Wagon

K – Bulk Steel Products V – Guards Van

L – Louvre Van W – Well Wagon

M – Automobile Carrier

Z – Special Purpose Wagon

Third Letter – denotes sub-group

This letter indicates differences within a group identified by the second letter. For example it allows 26 different classes of the same type of wagon.

Fourth Letter – denotes the type of bogies fitted to a vehicle

A – Plain Bearing Bogies – Max Speed 65 km/h

F – Roller Bearing (3-piece) Bogies – Max Speed 80 km/h

H – Heavy Axle load bogies. Restricted routes i.e. Coal trains in the Hunter Valley

W – As above – Fitted with smaller diameter wheelsets and lowered bogies sideframes to permit a wagon to carry high payloads and stay within loading gauge. See NQJW

X – Roller Bearing Bogies suitable for Bogie Exchange – Max Speed 80 km/h

Y – Roller Bearing Bogies (1-piece) – Max Speed 115 km/h

By using the above coding system, all operators can identify a vehicle and it’s general use and vehicle speed limit.

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