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Note. Prior to 1928, (with the exception of Post-, Salon-, Schlaf- and Speise-wagen) bogie coaches were distinguished by repeating the last letter of the primary class e.g. BCC instead of BC. From 1928 the double letter was replaced by a single letter followed by the number of axles (except that '2' was not used). So an eight-wheeled BC coach was no longer classified as BCCbut as a BC4.

Primary Classification Letters

 Relevant PeriodMeaning
A   Passenger coach 1st class
B   Passenger coach 2nd class
BB 1928 to 1938 Former BC. 3rd class (C) compartments subsequently upholstered for 2nd class
C to 1956 Passenger coach 3rd class
CC 1928 to 1938 Former CD. 4th class (D) compartments subsequently fitted with benches for 3rd class.
D to 1928
DB: Epoch 3		 Passenger coach 4th class
Luggage compartment (usually as in BD (2nd class/Luggage).
Dienst from ? Dienstwagen. Works wagon.
D… from 1952 (DR) Doppelstockwagen. Double-decker coach (only in combination with B, C, Pw)
DGB from 1957 (DR) Doppelstock-Gliederzug, 2nd class. Double-decker articulated train, 2nd class
DGR from 1958 (DR) Buffet car for the double-decker articulated train
K… from ? Narrow gauge passenger coach (only in combination with A, B, C, D, Pw, Post)
…K from 1954 (DR) Passenger coach with Küche (kitchen). (not in combination mit WL, WR)
…L 1933 to 1956 Lokalbahnwagen. Branch line coach. (only in combination with B, C, Pw, Post)
L… from 1957 (DB) Lokalbahnwagen. Branch line coach. (only in combination with B, C, Pw, Post)
…L from 1956 (DB) Liegewagen. Couchette coach.
…L(Z) from 1954 (DR) Coach with Lautsprechern für Zugfunk (loudspeakers for train communication).
M… from 1943
DR only: to 1954		 Provisional wartime coach (only in combination with B, C, Pw)
M DR: from 1954 Passenger coach of goods van design
P to 1927 Packwagen. Luggage van (not used for passenger coaches with a luggage compartment which had secondary letter p instead, see below).
P from 1928 Privatwagen. Private wagon.
Post   Postwagen. Post van (to 1927 not used for passenger and goods wagons with a post compartment, which had secondary letters post instead, see below).
Pw from 1928 Gepäckwagen (Packwagen). Luggage van.
…R from 1956 (DB) Wagon with restaurant section (not in combination with WR)
S… from 1928 (DR
only to 1945)		 Sonderreisezugwagen (special passenger coach) for FD trains (only in combination with A, B, C, Post, Pw, WR).
…S from 1954 (DR) Sonderwagen. Special wagon.
Sdr from 1945 (DR) Sonderreisezugwagen. Special passenger coach.
Salon   Salonwagen. Saloon car.
Schlaf to 1927 Schlafwagen. Sleeping car.
Speise to 1927 Speisewagen. Dining or restaurant car. (not used for passenger coaches with dining section, which used secondary letters speise instead, see below).
WG from ? (DB) Gesellschaftwagen. Company coach.
WL… from 1928 Schlafwagen - "wagon-lit". Sleeper. (only in combination with A, B, C)
WR from 1928 Speisewagen - "wagon-restaurant". Dining or restaurant car.
Z from 1928 Zellenwagen. Prison van?

 Secondary letters

  Relevant Period Meaning
b from 1957 (DB) With additional brake pipes (Bremsleitung) and electrical control wiring (omitted on railbus classes and with f)
c from 1954 (DR) Passenger coach of goods van design (only as Mci, previously MCi)
d 1928 to 1937 Former 4th class D, now used unchanged as a higher travel class
e to 1927 Passenger coach with 2 decks (Etagen)
e from 1954 (DR)
from 1957 (DB)		 Electric train heating (elektrischer Zugheizung) (DB: omitted with m)
(e) from 1957 (DB) Electric heating (elektrischer Heizleitung)
f from 1957 (DB) Driver's cab (Führerstand) on shuttle trains
g to 1927 Luggage van only suitable for use in goods trains (Güterzüge) (only in combination with P)
g 1928 to 1956 Former covered van (gedeckter Güterwagen) form passenger transport (only as Dgi or Cgi)
g from 1957 (DB) Rubber communication walls (Gummiwülste) instead of bellows (only in combination with ü or y)
from 1962 (DR) Rubber communication gangways (Gummiwulstübergängen)
k DR: 1928 to 1953
DB: 1928 to 1956		 Kitchen (Küche) (omitted on WL, WR)
kr from 1928 Sick bay (Krankenabteil) or with compartment which can be converted into a sick bay
i Through coach with open gangways
l from 1957 (DB) Light (leichte), eight-wheeled fast-stopping or passenger train coach of standard design with less than 30 t dead weight
m from 1957 (DB) Length over 24 m, upholstered 2nd class and electric heating or heating pipes
o from 1954 (DR) Stove heating (Ofenheizung)
p to 1927 Passenger coach with luggage compartment (Gepäckraum)
post to 1927 Passenger coach or luggage van with post (Post) compartment
r from 1967 (DR) Passenger coach with buffet facility
s from 1957 (DB) Closed side entrance (Seitengang) in 1st class or luggage van
on WL: Sleeper with individual compartments, in combination with i or y:
speise to 1927 Passenger coach with dining area (Speiseraum)
tr from 1928 suitable for heavy hand luggage (Traglasten) or equipped with a heavy hand luggage section
u 1933 to 1937 Converted (umgerüstete) former 3rd class (C), now upholstered and operated as 2nd class (B) and
former 4th class (D), now fitted with benches and operated as 3rd class (C)
ü Bogie coach with corridor and bellows gangways (Faltenbalgübergängen) (for express train coaches)
üp from 1939
(DB only to 1956)		 Bogie coach with corridor and bellows gangways (Faltenbalgübergängen) (for passenger and fast-stopping train coaches
y from 1957 (DB) Bogie coach with corridor and bellows gangways (Faltenbalgübergängen) (for passenger and fast-stopping train coaches
v 1939 to ?
from 1962 (DB) 		Passenger coach with temporary wooden benches
Priority compartments (Vorzugsabteile) (more legroom)
z from 1962 (DB) air conditioning