Identification markings on DB wagons
Issue: 1959

The wagons of the DB were classified by letter markings. These markings were composed of group letters (upper case) and optional additional letters (lower case). The group letters describe the basic characteristics of a wagon while the additional letters describe further features or characterics that deviate from the basic characteristics. Furthermore, there was a two-digit type number attached to the letter markings. This was used to distinguish technical details of the wagons.

Meaning of the group letters

Group	Group letters	Load limit for track class B t	Number of axles	Special remarks
covered wagons
G group	G	15.5 to 24.5	2	flat or arched roof
	GG	49	4	arched roof
T group	T	15.0 to 21	2	refrigerated vans
	TT	32 to 38	4	refrigerated vans
K group	K	15.5 to 24	2	roof with hinged covers, sliding or swivelling roof; some wagons with sliding walls
	KK	31 to 50	4 or 5	equipped with gravity or air discharge
V group	V	15,5 to 21,0	2	slatted sides, two or four floors
open wagons
O group	O (1)	15.5 to 27.5	2	tippable or with gravity discharge sides at least 80 cm high
	OO	34 to 52	4 or 5	not tippable; some wagons with gravity discharge
R group	R	15.5 to 25.5	2	stanchions (2), end and side walls removable or foldable, load length at least 10.1 m
S group	S	15.5 bis 21.0	2	iron stanchions, removable end walls, up to 40 cm high, load length 13 m (2)
	SS	36.5 (2)	4 or more	iron stanchions, load length 15 m (2)
H group	H	15.5 bis 17.5	2	iron side stanchions, swivel bolsters
X group	X	15.5 to 27.5	2	sides and ends lower than 80 cm
	XX	25.0 to 50.0	4	sides and ends lower than 80 cm
container carriers
BT group	BT	20.0 to 40.0	2 or 4	carrier wagons with removable tippable containers (pa-containers)

Meaning of the additional letters

Additional letter	in connection with group letters	Meaning (statements on load limits refer to track class B)
a	SS	brake platform, railing foldable
b	G, R and T	ferry wagon
d	K and KK	pressurized air discharged
e	general	wired for electrical heating
f	K	end doors
	T	for sea fish only
	X and XX	flat wagons (wagons without sides and ends)
ff	O	dual level wagon
g	K	sliding walls
	T	only for frozen products
	V	4 floors (geese van)
gg	T	only for dry ice and frozen products
h	general	steam pipe
hh	G und T	steam pipe and steam heating
i	O	wagons with tippable non-removable tubs
k	T und TT	low insulation, unsuitable for frozen products
	K	loadable/unloadable by crane (sliding roof)
	O	tub wagon (2 or 3 detachable tubs)
	S	usable length less than 13 m
	SS	usable length less than 15 m
kk	T	insulated tank for liquids, low insulation
l	G	loading area at least 26 m2 and arched roof
	R	usable length at least 12 m
	SS	usable length at least 18 m (not for SSyl)
	X	usable length at least 8 m
ll	G	2 wagon unit for express parcel traffic
m	G, T, K, O, R, S und X	payload 21 t
	BT	payload 26,5 t
	SS	payload more than 35 t (not for SSym)
mm	G, K, O, R und X	payload more than 21 t
	BT	payload more than 26,5 t
n	T	unsuitable for frozen goods
o	T und TT	without meat hooks
	R	without stanchions (temporarily)
	X und XX	fixed sides and ends, higher than 40 cm
p	O	not tippable
r	G, T, O und R	wagons with alterable wheel sets for Russian wide gauge
s	general	suitable for trains with a top speed of 100 km/h, if the load limit inscriptions contain the letter "S" or "SS"
t	G und GG	end doors
	K, KK, O und OO	gravity unloading wagons, floor or side flaps, not tippable
	S und SS	low loading wagons; usable length and payload is not expressed by additional letters
	X und XX	floor flaps (some are hoppers) or folding sides (full length or middle part only)
u	O	with electro-hydraulic tipping apparatus
v	K	with internal coating for foods
	T	with electric ventilation
y	SS	payload 52 t with a load width of at least 3.14 m (2.735 m between stanchions), usable length 8.80 m (9.50 m with folded brake platform railing), brake platform, platform railing foldable, wagon with alterable wheel sets for Russian wide gauge
yl	SS	payload 50 t with a load width of 2.83 m , usable length 12.30 m (13.00 m with folded brake platform railing)
ym	SS	payload 82 t with a load width of at least 3.15 m (2.735 m between stanchions), usable length 11.20 m (11.90 m with folded brake platform railing), brake platform, platform railing foldable, wagon with alterable wheel sets for Russian wide gauge
z	O und OO	wagons for ore traffic

Meaning of the type numbers

• Wagons according to the designs of the old German state railways (Länderbauarten) have been built to the drawings and regulations of these railways, their main dimensions vary.
  Type numbers 01 to 09.
• Wagons according to the designs of the former German state railway wagon association (Verbandsbauart) have been built to the drawings and regulations of this organisation. The main dimensions within a particular class are uniform.
  Type numbers 10 to 19.
• Wagons of the interchangeable designs (Austauschbauart) have standardized and interchangeable components.
  Type numbers 20 to 29.
• Wagons of welded type have most components connected to each other by welding.
  Type numbers 30 to 99; new designs (after 1951) carry the Type numbers 50 to 99.
• Wagons of foreign design, the main dimensions vary
  Type numbers 09, 17, 18, 19, 39, 49, 90 to 94.

Remarks

(1) The specifications of payload, number of achsles and special features do not apply to Off wagons.

(2) Deviation from the basic characteristic are indicated by additional letters.

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