Railway coupling by country

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The

• ABC coupler (Automatic Buffing Contact)^[1][2]
• Albert coupler
• bell and hook coupler
• BSI coupler (Bergische Stahl Industrie)
• buffers and chain coupler, also known as British, buffers and screw, English, EU, link and hook, UIC, or UK coupler
• center buffer and chains coupler
• Digital automatic coupling (DAC)^[3]
• GF coupler
• Henricot coupler
• H2C coupler
• tightlock coupler^[4][5]
• Johnston link and pin coupler
• link and pin coupler
• Miller coupler
• Norwegian coupler, also known as chopper or Jones coupler
• pin and cup coupler (WABCO N-Type)
• SA-3, also known as SovietAuto-3, AK69e, CA-3, Russian or Willison coupler
• Scharfenberg coupler, also known as Dellner, Schaku or Voith coupler
  • While different Scharfenburg couplers may be mechanically compatible, they may be electrically incompatible.
• Shibata coupler
• Ward coupler^[6]
• Wedglock coupler, also known as London or Tube coupler

Africa

Algeria

• English,
  standard gauge track^[7]
• English couplers on 1,055 mm (3 ft 5+1⁄2 in) gauge track^[7]

• AAR couplers^[7][8]

• AAR couplers

Benin

• CBC couplers^[7]

Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire

• English couplers^[7][9]

• Russian couplers^[7]

• SA3 couplers^[7]

Democratic Republic of the Congo

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (August 2013)

• AAR couplers

Egypt

• English couplers
  on historic stock
• AAR coupler Links on modern stock^{[10][11][12][13]}

• * CBC couplers^[14]

Ethiopia

• AAR couplers^[15]

• Norwegian couplers
  on historic stock
• AAR couplers
  on modern stock

Kenya

• AAR and
  Narrow gauge railways
• AAR
  Standard gauge
  railways

Liberia

• AAR couplers

Malawi

• AAR couplers^[16]

• like Senegal

Mauritania

• AAR couplers
• SA3 couplers

Morocco

• English couplers^[17]

• AAR couplers^[7][16]

• standard gauge railways^[18]
• ABC couplers on legacy 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) railways^[19]
• Narrow gauge railways^[20]

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Norwegian couplers on Indian Stock^[21]

• Buffers and chain coupler from 1859 to 1873.^[22]
• Cape gauge, from 1906 on 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge in Natal.^[23][24]
• Bell-and-hook from 1902 on 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge in the Cape of Good Hope.^[24][25]
• AAR knuckle wide use from 1927 on Cape gauge. The first application of these couplers in what is now South Africa was in 1904 by the ultra-progressive Central South African Railways (CSAR) on their rolling stock for the "Limited Expresses" between Johannesburg and Pretoria.^{[26][27][28][29]}
• Willison from 1973 on 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge in the Cape Province.^[24]
• WABCO N-Type
  from 1984 on 6M EMU rolling stock. Also used on class 8M EMU rolling stock built from 1988.
• Scharfenberg from 2012 on Gautrain, from 2016 on new PRASA EM01 commuter stock.

Sudan

• AAR couplers^[30][31]

• metre gauge track^[9]
• AAR couplers
  on 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge track
• AAR couplers on 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
  standard gauge
  track.

• Center buffer and side chain couplers
• Norwegian couplers
  on Indian Stock

Tunisia

• English couplers

Uganda

• narrow gauge :
  Norwegian couplers
• standard gauge :
  AAR couplers
  .

Asia

Bangladesh

• AAR couplers on 5 ft 6 in
  (1,676 mm) Stock
• 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) Stock^[7]

• English couplers
  on older stock
• AAR couplers
  on newer stock

China

• AAR couplers
  on most passenger and freight stock
• A variation of Shibata couplers between 25T passenger coaches (AAR couplers between Bombardier-built coaches)
• Scharfenberg couplers on high speed (CRH) and subway trains

Hong Kong

• BSI couplers on ex-MTR
  passenger units and maintenance stock
• Tightlock couplers on ex-KCR
  passenger units
• Dellner couplers
  on light rail stock
• AAR couplers
  on freight stock

• English couplers
  on historic stock
• AAR couplers on modern stock^[32]
• metre gauge track^[33]
• ABC couplers
  on narrow gauge stock
• Scharfenberg couplers in Suburban EMU and DEMU trains and rapid transit rolling stocks

Indonesia

• standard gauge
  historic stock of Nederlandsch-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (Dutch East Indies Railway Company)
• Norwegian couplers on 1,067 mm
  (3 ft 6 in) gauge historic stock of The Dutch East Indies National Railway Company and the majority of the Dutch East Indies Private Railway and Tramway Companies
• Shibata couplers
  on modern stock
• Scharfenberg couplers for the future Jakarta - Bandung high speed rail and Soekarno Hatta Airport skytrain.
• Shibata couplers (based on Scharfenberg couplers) for Jakarta LRT
• Greater Jakarta LRT

Iran

• English couplers, Russian (C-AKv) combo couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock

Iraq

• English couplers
  on historic stock
• English, Russian (C-AKv) combo couplers on modern stock^[34][35]

Israel

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock

Japan

• English couplers
  on historic stock
• AAR couplers
  on locomotives, freight and passenger stock
• Shibata couplers (based on Scharfenberg couplers
  ) on passenger stock

• AAR couplers
  on standard gauge stock
• Reduced-size
  narrow gauge
  stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on Pyongyang Metro stock

South Korea

• link and pin
  couplers on historic stock
• AAR couplers on modern stock^[36]
• Shibata couplers (based on Scharfenberg couplers
  ) on Subways and metro car
• KTX
  and imported light metro car

• Norwegian couplers
  on historic stock
• AAR couplers
  on modern stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on ERL, LRT, MRT and Monorail.

Pakistan

• English couplers
  on historic stock
• AAR couplers on modern stock^[32]

• English couplers on Manila Railway Company
  (MRC) rolling stock, as well as historic Manila Railroad (MRR) stock before 1932.
• AAR couplers on MRR stock built after 1928 and on all Philippine National Railways
  narrow-gauge rolling stock.
  • Type E on historic stock and on the PNR 5000 class.
  • Type F interlocking couplers on upcoming PNR narrow-gauge flatcars.^[37]
  • Type H tightlock coupling on most PNR rolling stock starting with the 900 class.
• Negros Island.^[38]
  Older Manila Railroad stock also use link and pin alongside English couplers.
• Scharfenberg couplers on the MRT Line 3.
  • Shibata couplers on high-capacity rapid transit lines and on the North–South Commuter Railway
    .
  • Type 10 on PNR 8800 class passenger trains for the PNR South Long Haul project.^[39]

Russia

• Russian SA3 couplers on domestic stock (with side buffers on passenger coaches^{[citation needed]})
• English couplers on Euro Stock (exchanged
  on the border)
• Scharfenberg couplers on some passenger unit trains (Velaro, Desiro) and on all subway systems

Singapore

• Scharfenberg couplers for the Mass Rapid Transit^[40]
• Bukit Panjang LRT
• Punggol LRT^[41]

• AAR couplers for TRA rolling stock, including multiple units^[42]
• Shibata couplerx for THSR
• Tomlinson couplers for heavy-capacity Taipei Metro rolling stock^[43]
• Kaohsiung MRT, Taoyuan Airport MRT, Taichung Metro
  and medium capacity Taipei Metro rolling stock
• Link and pin couplers for Alishan Forest Railway and Taiwan Sugar Railways^[42]

• AAR couplers
  on all SRT rolling stock
• Norwegian couplers
  on historic stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on mass-transit trains
• Ward couplers on London Underground
  stock
• Narrow gauge lines use a mixture of couplings.

• English couplers
  on older stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock
• C-AKv
  ) on newer stock

Vietnam

• standard gauge
  rolling stock

Europe

Austria

• English couplers
  on standard gauge stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger units
• Bosna couplers or Scharfenberg couplers on narrow gauge stock

Belgium

• GF coupler on most multiple units
• Henricot semi automatic couplers
  on some EMU's
• English couplers
  on locomotives, passenger carriages and goods waggons
• Scharfenberg couplers on high speed trains

Finland

• English couplers
  (UIC) on passenger cars and most freight cars and on historical locomotives
• Russian SA3 couplers on Russian cars and some heavy-duty freight cars
• "
  Unilink couplers
  " (SA3 clone with UIC-style screw link) or "Vapiti" (SA3 clone with movable link arm for English couplers) couplers on the majority of locomotives; compatible with SA3 and English (UIC) center hook
• Scharfenberg couplers (some made by Dellner) on multiple unit passenger stock

France

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• high speed trains
  only)
• Russian couplers on ore unit trains

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock
• AK69es and C-AKv couplers
  on unit ore trains
• AK69e and SA3 couplers mixed in trains via Mukran ferry terminal
• Scharfenberg or central buffer couplers on narrow gauge stock

Greece

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock
• Center buffer and side chains
  on narrow gauge stock

Hungary

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• side buffers
  )
• BSI couplers
  with side buffers on BDVmot electric multiple units
• Link and pin
  on narrow gauge stock

Ireland

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

Italy

• standard gauge
  stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on some EMU/DMU and FS Class E.464

Netherlands

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• BSI couplers, Scharfenberg couplers
  on passenger stock
• Russian couplers on ore unit trains

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Norwegian couplers
  on historic stock, narrow gauge only
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock (multiple units)
• Russian SA3 couplers on unit ore trains (Ofoten Line)

Poland

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock
• Russian couplers
  on unit ore trains and Russian interchange stock

Portugal

• English couplers
  on freight and loco hauled passenger stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on multiple unit passenger stock

Romania

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Scharfenberg coupler on Siemens Desiro multiple units and some ex-German railbuses
• Link-and-pin couplers
  on narrow gauge stock

Russia

• Russian SA3 couplers on domestic stock (with side buffers on passenger coaches^{[citation needed]})
• English couplers on Euro Stock (exchanged
  on the border)
• Scharfenberg couplers on some passenger unit trains (Velaro, Desiro) and on all subway systems

Spain

• English couplers
  on freight and loco hauled passenger stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on multiple unit passenger stock
• AAR couplers
  on locomotive hauled stock in narrow gauge
• BSI couplers on multiple unit passenger stock (only in Catalonian Railways
  : FGC)

• English couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock
• Russian couplers on iron ore trains (Iron Ore Line
  )
• Variant of
  Norwegian couplers
  on historic (museum) narrow-gauge stock

• standard gauge
  stock
• GFV,
  BSI couplers
  on passenger units
• AK69e
  couplers within BLS EW III sets
• GF, GFV or
  center buffer couplers/Balance lever couplings
  on meter and narrow gauge stock

• SA3 couplers on 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) gauge rolling stock
• English couplers on SUW 2000 gauge-changing
  coaches
• Scharfenberg couplers on some EMU trains
• narrow gauge
  rolling stock

United Kingdom

• BSI couplers
  on most diesel multiple unit types, but also Dellner and Scharfenberg on some more recent types
• AAR Type H "Tightlock coupling" heads on 1970s to early 2000s electric multiple units
• Scharfenberg type heads (often Dellner) on most new electric multiple units, with a variety of electrical connection systems
• Buckeye coupler^{[citation needed}
  ]
• Ward couplers on London Underground
  stock
• Narrow gauge lines use various couplings

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

Caribbean

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

Cuba

• AAR couplers^[7]

• AAR couplers^[7]

Central America

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

Belize

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

Costa Rica

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

El Salvador

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

Guatemala

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

Honduras

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

Nicaragua

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

Panama

• AAR couplers—Panama Canal Railway
• Panama canal mules ^[44]

• AAR couplers
  on traditional stock
• H2C couplers
  on transit stock
• 3⁄4 size AAR couplers on the White Pass and Yukon Route

Mexico

• AAR couplers
  on traditional stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on new passenger stock

United States

• AAR couplers
  on mainline freight and passenger stock in the United States and Alaska
• Safety Appliance Act
• Older city systems have unique coupler designs for transit stock, e.g.
  H2C couplers on New York City Subway rolling stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on newer light rail and transit systems
• Pin Cup coupler on multiple unit transit stock
• Russian couplers on industrial and mining Stock

Alaska

• AAR couplers
  on mainline freight and passenger stock in Alaska
• 3⁄4 size AAR couplers on the White Pass and Yukon Route

Puerto Rico

• Scharfenberg couplers on Tren Urbano^[45]

Oceania

Australia

• Norwegian couplers
  on historic stock
• AAR couplers
  on freight and passenger stock
• Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock

New Zealand

• Norwegian couplers on legacy stock
• Janney couplers on modern freight and locomotives
• Scharfenberg couplers on modern EMUs

South America

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2022)

Argentina

• standard gauge^[7]
• metre gauge^[7]
  and some passenger (FIAT 7131 DMUs) and freight rolling stock on standard and broad gauge.
• Small
  link and pin couplers on 750 mm
  (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
• Shibata semi-automatic couplers on EMUs made by Toshiba - Marubeni Corp. (1956 D.F. Sarmiento Railway, 1962 General Bartolomé Mitre Railway, 1973 General Urquiza Railway and 1983 General Roca Railway
  EMUs).
• Scharfenberg-type semi-automatic couplers (Dellner) on modern EMUs, DMUs and some passenger rolling stock In General San Martín Railway.
• Económico Sud Railway
  ).

Bolivia

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2022)

Brazil

• AAR couplers^[47][48]

• metre gauge^[7]
• English couplers
  (UIC)in coaches and locomotives bought from Spain
• Scharfenberg couplers in passenger units bought from Spain

Colombia

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2022)

Ecuador

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2022)

Paraguay

• English couplers^[49]

• AAR couplers ^[7]

Suriname

Main article:

Rail transport in Suriname

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2022)

Uruguay

• English Couplers^[49] (Main stock)
• Janney Coupler^{[citation needed}
  ] (Brill 55, Brill 60 and previously Ganz 38 Motorcars; previpuly Simmering-Graz-Pauker DMUs and Coaches; Ganz-Mavag DMUs and Coaches)
• Pin and cup Coupler^{[citation needed]} (Uerdinger Railbus and trailers)

Venezuela

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2022)

See also

• Barrier vehicle
• Jane's World Railways
  , lists the coupler(s) used on any railway system
• Rail transport by country

References