No matter the type of railcar, there are labels and codes on each side. One of these codes is a longer number, which is the wagon number, or more accurately, the European Vehicle Number (EVN). Today, we’re going to take the time to decipher this code together. Just like a phone number is made up of a country code, an area or provider code, and then a personal number, there’s a similar logic behind the wagon numbers.

A unique coding system for the European Vehicle Number
Each railcar, including all 29,000+ railcars in our GATX fleet, is registered with one of the National Vehicle Registers across Europe. The vehicle registers are national bodies such as the German Federal Railway Authority, the Austrian SCHIG, or the Suisse Federal Office for Transport.

However, the National Vehicle Registers are currently being replaced by the European Vehicle Register that follows a similar system, on a centralized European level. Learn more about this endeavor in this background article.

The coding system for the European Vehicle Numbers
Let’s have a look at the coding system.

EVN are divided into five unique blocks; each provides some background information about the assigned car:

*Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018D1614, p. 32

Congrats! You have now graduated and are a master in deciphering all wagon codes. Let us know if we can support you during the transition to EVR. Our experts are working with relevant authorities for a smooth transition. We will keep you updated.