WCO Explanatory Notes reproduced for reference. © World Customs Organization. Verify against official WCO publication.
86.08 - Railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings; mechanical (including electromechanical) signalling, safety or traffic control equipment for railwa s, tramways, roads, inland waterways, parking facilities, port ~nstallationsor air elds; parts of the foregoing. i (A) RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY TRACK FIXTURES AND FITTINGS This group includes : (1) Assembled track, i.e., rails already fixed to sleepers or other su ports. Such track may be in the form of junction, switch or cross-over points, curves, strai& runs, etc. (2) Turntables, whether or not electrically operated, i.e., lar e platforms usually circular, which can rotate about the centre, and whch are fitted wit%railway or tramway tracks; most are also equipped with rollers carrying the perimeter of the platform. Locomotives, etc., can therefore be rotated on the turntable and driven off in a new direction. The heading also includes hand-operated turntables, for narrow gauge railways on building sites, quarries, etc. However, the heading excludes locomotives or wagon traversers which transfer railway vehicles fiom one track to another. These and other machines for handling rolling-stock (e.g., wagon tippers, wagon pushers) fall in heading 84.28. e (3) Platform buffers, i.e., hydraulic or sprin -loaded sto ping devices placed at the end of each run of track to mnirnise the shock i rollin -stoc does not stop before reaching the track terminal. They are desiped either to be em edded into the masonry (e-g., of terminal stations) or into robust frameworks (e.g., in shunting yards). % (4) Loading gau es, i.e., arch-shaped structures which ensure that trains passing beneath them do not excee the maximum clearance height and width prescribed for the route involved. d r The heading does not cover wooden slee ers (heading 44.06), concrete sleepers (heading 68.10) or sleepers, ra~lsor other items of unassemb ed track construction matenal, of iron or steel specified in heading 73.02 (see the corresponding ExplanatoryNote). Pylons and portals for carrying overhead cables are not regarded as railway or tramway fixtures or fittings and are classified according to their constituent materials in headings 68.10,73.08, etc. (B) MECHANICAL, (INCLUDING ELECTRO-MECHANICAL) SIGNALLING, SAFETY OR TRAFFIC CONTROL EQUIPMENT FOR RAXLWAYS, TRAMWAYS, ROADS, INLAND WATERWAYS, PARKING FACILITIES, PORT INSTALLATIONS OR AIFWELDS This group covers essentially ap aratus in which the signal, etc., is operated from a control oint enerally at some distance, y the movement of levers, cranks, rods, wires, chains, etc., or h i 8oOPneumaticdevices or electric motors. Electropneumaticall operated equipment (e.g., for railways) is also classified in this heading. In this t e, the signa s or points are activated by a pneumatic power engine, the admission or release o a n into or from the motor cylinder bein controlled by an electro-magnetic valve which is in tutn controlled by the electric control boar in the signal box. The signal and its pneumatic activating device is re arded as mechanical equipment of this heading, but the electric control board, etc., is proper to hapter 85. Ey g P r % t The term " signalling equipment " refers to a paratus which can be made to show two or more aspects each conve ng instructions to vehic es, ships or aircraft. It does not cover road, rail, etc., sign-plates WI no mechanical features (e.g., speed limit, direction or adient sir-plates); these are classified according to the constituent material (e.g., in heading 8 2 1 or 83. 0) P Provided they are mechanically or electro-mechanically operated as described above, the following types of apparatus fall m this group : (1) Signal box equipment. A complete unit consists of a number of control levers with their transmission wheels, rods, wires, etc., mounted in a frame. In most cases interlocking devices are incorporated to prevent signals or points being set in a conflicting manner. (2) Signal arms, signal discs, complete signal posts or signal gantries. (3) Controlling or slotting lever mechanisms fitted to interdependent signals to ensure their co-ordinated action. (4) Trackside mechanisms (ground frames, etc., of the lever, pedal, crank or other types) for operating points, signals, etc. (5) Point detectors. These are activated by the movement of the points themselves; their movements are transmitted back to the signal box so that the signalman knows that the points are in the position he intends. (6) Point locks and locking bars. These devices, fitted to the track itself, ensure that the passage of a train automatically locks the points, so that they cannot be changed from the signal box until the train is clear. (7) Railbrakes. These devices are used to slow down or stop rolling-stock (e.g., to slow shunted wagons enterin a marshalling ard siding). They usually consist essentxally of a air of bars fitted to eac rail of the tracl; under hydraulic or compressed air control, these Ears can be made to exert braking pressure on the wheels of rolling-stock passing over the track. g (8) Derailers and stop blocks. When slid free of the rail, these allow the passage of a wagon, but when slid on to the running surface of the rail they act as a stop block or as a deflecting blade to "jump " a wagon off the track. (9) Train sto s. These usually consist of a T shaped bar device fixed alon side the track and operated !I y compressed air. The bar is interconnected with the signa so that when the latter is at danger, the bar is raised to a position where it will " trip " a brake control lever on any train overrunning the signal. f (10) Automatic fog-signalling apparatus. These devices, also usually pneumatically operated, automatically place a fog signal on the track each time the signal is at danger. (11) Level crossing control gear for raising and lowering, or o ening and closing the gates. This gear usually consists of a hand-o erated crank whee and gearing device, or of a leverage system operated from the signa box as with signal or point control gear. P P Level crossing gates themselves are classified according to their constituent material (heading 73.08 if made of iron or steel, or heading 44.21 if made of wood), but mechanically or electro-mechanically operated signals indicating whether the gates are open or shut fall in this heading. (12) Hand- or electro-mechanically operated signals designed to show "Stop" and "Go" signs to road or maritime traffic. PARTS The heading also includes identifiable arts of the a paratus referred to above (e-g., turntable platforms, stgnal arms and discs, contro levers, point ock cases, interlocking slot mechanisms). f' The heading also excludes : (a) Chains and other parts of general use-as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV), and simiIar goods of lastlcs (Chapter 39); general q o s e material (such as wire and rodding) and metal structures an metal parts of such structures, alling in Section XV.It should be noted that point rods which run beneath the rails to connect the trackside control mechanism to the switch blades fall in heading 73.02 together with certain other specified railway or tramway track construction material of iron or steel. a F @) Signal lamps (heading 85.30 or 94.05). (c) Sirens, fog horns and other sound signalling instruments (classified in their own appropriate headings). (d) Apparatus for signallin on board vehicles, ships, etc., (e. alarm signalling apparatus on.trains, emergency station signa ling apparatus for ships, etc.) (class%kd in their own appropriate headmgs).
1.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Railway or tramway sleepers of wood or of concrete, or concrete guide-track sections for hovertrains (heading 44.06 or 68.10); (b) Railway or tramway track construction material of iron or steel of heading 73.02; or (c) Electrical signalling, safety or traffic control equipment of heading 85.30. 2.- Heading 86.07 applies, inter alia, to : (a) Axles, wheels, wheel sets (running gear), metal tyres, hoops and hubs and other parts of wheels; (b) Frames, underframes, bogies and bissel-bogies; (c) Axle boxes; brake gear; (d) Buffers for rolling-stock; hooks and other coupling gear and corridor connections; (e) Coachwork. 3.- Subject to the provisions of Note 1 above, heading 86.08 applies, inter alia, to : (a) Assembled track, turntables, platform buffers, loading gauges; (b) Semaphores, mechanical signal discs, level crossing control gear, signal and point controls, and other mechanical (including electro-mechanical) signalling, safety or traffic control equipment, whether or not fitted for electric lighting, for railways, tramways, roads, inland waterways, parking facilities, port installations or airfields.