Circular No. 20/2018/TT-BGTVT on information, guidance, equipment serving passengers, and safety devices on railway transportation vehicles

CIRCULAR

Regulations on information, guidance, equipment serving passengers,

safety devices on railway transportation vehicles

_____________________

At the proposal of the Director of the Personnel Organization Department and the Director of the Vietnam Registration Bureau;

Pursuant to Decree No. 12/2017/NĐ-CP dated February 10, 2017, issued by the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Transport;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Transport and the Director of the Vietnam Ship Inspection Bureau;

B||| The Minister of Transport issues this Circular on information, guidance, equipment serving passengers, safety devices on railway transportation vehicles. 

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates information, guidance, equipment serving passengers, safety devices on railway transportation vehicles during operation and exploitation on national railways, urban railways, and dedicated railways.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to organizations and individuals related to the operation and exploitation of railway transportation vehicles on national railways, urban railways, and dedicated railways.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Dedicated railway motive power vehicles are vehicles with engines that can move independently for maintenance, repair, construction of railway works; rescue and emergency response in railway traffic accidents, and other specialized vehicles moving on railway tracks.

2. Power car is a carriage equipped with an engine to move independently on railway tracks.

3. Urban rail car including: powered carriage with driver's cab (Mc), powered carriage without driver's cab (M), trailing carriage without driver's cab (T), trailing carriage with driver's cab (Tc).

Chapter II

INFORMATION, GUIDANCE, EQUIPMENT SERVING PASSENGERS

Article 4. Information, guidance on national railway transportation vehicles, dedicated railway transportation vehicles

1. Outside passenger carriages must have carriage number plates according to the model attached hereto to guide passengers when trains perform passenger services at stations. The exterior carriage number plates must match the interior carriage number plates.

2. Inside passenger carriages must have carriage number plates, seat numbers to guide passengers, information boards in writing or electronically, and broadcasting systems to provide necessary information to passengers about the train journey, station names along the route, procedures for handling fire incidents, emergencies, accidents; train regulations; signs in writing or drawings to guide the use of safety equipment, firefighting equipment, priority seating for passengers, restrooms.

3. Symbols, information, and guidance must be clear and easy to understand; placed in visible and readable locations. Passenger guidance signs inside carriages must be written in Vietnamese and English. Broadcasting systems must transmit in Vietnamese and English to guide passengers on passenger trains.

Article 5. Information, guidance on urban railway transportation vehicles

1. Urban railway carriages must have information and guidance in writing, drawings, broadcasting, information boards in writing or electronically to provide necessary information to passengers about the train journey, station names and the next station along the route, instructions for handling emergency situations; guidance on using safety equipment, firefighting equipment, priority seating for passengers. For the leading carriage of the train, there must be destination information outside the carriage.

2. Information and guidance must be clear and easy to understand; placed in visible and readable locations. Passenger guidance signs inside carriages must be written in Vietnamese and English.

Article 6. Equipment for serving passengers on national railway and dedicated railway transportation means

1. In passenger cars, there must be at least the following equipment and devices installed: emergency escape tools; fire-fighting equipment and materials; passenger service facilities such as electricity, water, lighting, air conditioning, ventilation, and sanitation facilities.

2. On passenger trains and mixed trains, there must be first aid kits, first aid equipment; simple repair tools and materials; accessibility equipment for persons with disabilities.

Article 7. Equipment for serving passengers on urban railway transportation means

Urban railway cars must have at least the following equipment and devices installed: emergency escape tools; lighting equipment; air conditioning and ventilation equipment; public address system; priority seating; fire-fighting equipment; accessibility equipment for persons with disabilities; customer first aid kits.

Chapter III

SAFETY EQUIPMENT ON RAILWAY TRANSPORTATION MEANS

Article 8. Safety equipment on national railway transportation means

1. Locomotives and dedicated railway power units must have speedometers, speed recording devices, and train operation data recording devices, anti-nodding devices.

2. Dedicated railway power units for rescue, bridge, and railway construction operations with a design speed Vmax ≤ 40 km/h or maximum operating speed Vmax ≤ 30 km/h (as published in the train speed command) do not need to install speed recording devices, train operation data recording devices, and anti-nodding devices.

3. On locomotives and dedicated railway power units, there must be fire alarm and fire-fighting equipment as prescribed by laws on fire prevention and fighting.

4. Passenger cars must have sealed lead-sealed emergency brake valves and pressure gauges within their inspection validity period.

5. Freight trains without a locomotive car must be equipped with tail-end train signal devices as prescribed.

6. Trains must have iron or wooden wedges, specialized railway flares, necessary colored light signals, and hand-held signals.

7. At the location of the train conductor's work, there must be operational safety equipment including:

a. Sealed lead-sealed emergency brake valve;

b. Pressure gauge within its inspection validity period;

c. Train speed indicator;

d. Communication device between the train conductor and the driver.

Article 9. Safety equipment on urban railway transportation means

1. In the driver's cabin of urban railway cars of type Mc or Tc, there must be at least the following equipment: speedometer, automatic train protection (ATP) device, automatic warning system (AWS), speed recording device, and train operation data recording device, anti-nodding device. Outside the control car, security cameras (CCTV) must be installed.

2. In the passenger compartment of urban railway cars, there must be at least the following equipment: emergency warning device for the driver, emergency door opening device, emergency brake lever, horn, fire detection and warning device, security cameras (CCTV), communication device between passengers and the driver in case of necessity.

3. For dedicated railway power units for rescue, bridge, and railway construction operations with a design speed Vmax ≤ 30 km/h or maximum operating speed Vmax ≤ 25 km/h (as published in the train speed command), there is no need to install speed recording devices, train operation data recording devices, and anti-nodding devices.

Article 10. Safety equipment on dedicated railway vehicles

1. Locomotives pulling trains must be equipped with speedometers, speed recording devices, train operation data recording devices, and anti-nodding devices.

2. Locomotives for shunting operations and locomotives pulling trains with a design speed Vmax ≤ 30 km/h or maximum operating speed Vmax ≤ 25 km/h (as per the published train speed command) that operate within railway sections less than 30 km in length do not need to be installed with speed recording devices and train operation data recording devices.

3. In cases where cargo trains have a maximum operating speed Vmax ≤ 25 km/h (as per the published train speed command) and operate within railway sections less than 30 km in length, it is not necessary to install tail-end signaling devices but must have measures to monitor the brake pipe pressure at the last car of the train.

4. On the train, there must be chocks (made of iron or wood), dedicated railway warning devices, necessary color signal lights, and hand-held signals.

5. On the locomotive, fire alarm and firefighting equipment must be installed in accordance with the provisions of the law on fire prevention and firefighting.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 11. Responsibilities of the owner of railway transportation means

1. Organize the installation of information, guidance, customer service equipment, and safety equipment on railway transportation means in accordance with the provisions of this Circular.

2. Be responsible for maintaining and repairing the equipment on the means of transport according to the manufacturer's regulations.

3. Be responsible for inspecting the safety equipment on the means of transport in accordance with current laws.

Article 12. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from July 1, 2018.

2. Repeal Circular No. 34/2012/TT-BGTVT dated August 22, 2012, issued by the Minister of Transport, which stipulates the list and measures to ensure safety for dedicated motive power vehicles when in operation on railways, which do not require the installation of speed recording devices and related operational information (black box).

Article 13. Transitional Provisions

For railway transportation means subject to Circular No. 34/2012/TT-BGTVT dated August 22, 2012, issued by the Minister of Transport, they will continue to be valid until the next inspection of the means of transport.

Article 14. Implementation Organization

The Director of the Ministry’s Office, the Inspector General of the Ministry, the Heads of Departments, the Director of the Vietnam Motor Vehicle Inspection Agency, the Director of the Vietnam Railway Administration, the Heads of relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular./.