Dec 9 th - 11 th 2013, Cracow, Poland, EU LONG WAY OF STANDARDIZATION CONTAINERS IN EUROPE Krzysztof LEWANDOWSKI Wroclaw University of Technology, Wroclaw, Poland, EU, krzysztof.lewandowski@pwr.wroc.pl Abstract First work with standardization for European containers begun before established of 'Bureau International des Containers et du Transport Intermodal' (B.I.C.) in 1933. First point of view for use containers in European transport was under International Road Congress in Roma in 1928. Italian senator Silvio Crespi suggest to use containers as possibility of co-operation for rail and road transport, no as a competition. In 1931 in Venice was first competition for the best construction of European container. Article describe steps of standardization of European containers before ISO standard since 1931 to 1965. Keywords: Container, Europe, standard, history 1. INTRODUCTION First information about container transport came to Europe from USA in 1917. In this year in Cincinnati begun use a demountable bodies to serve a freight station systems [15]. Next information from USA is from 1921. In this year New York Central railroad begun regular container transport for mail from New York to Chicago. Very shortly container system was extended from Chicago to Cleveland, Ohio [2]. A summary of prime advantages of the container car system is as follows [21]: a) It will furnish a means of expediting deliver)' of less- than-carload lots of commodities by eliminating the time and expense of rehandling, checking and trucking. b) It will eliminate costly crating and packing. c) The immediate unloading and loading of containers at terminal points eliminates the item of demurrage, at the same time promptly releasing rolling stock, clearing the yards of cars and reducing congestion. d) It will eliminate the piecemeal loading of cars at railway sidings in exposure to all kinds of weather. e) It will tend to keep the car moving at all times, making possible double the mileage as made now by an ordinary piece of rolling stock. f) Containers are fire- and weather-proof, and also burglar-proof in that they cannot be opened while on the car or while being transferred by handling device to and from the car. The increased service capacity of each unit by the development of the container-car system is thought to hold farreaching economic possibilities in railroad operations of the future, as well as in the co-ordinated use of the motor truck and the electric railway [21]. Next step was in 1922. In this year Erie Railroad start use containers to serve freight delivery. The way of container begun in Jersey City. Then fully containers were lifted on rail cars. Theses rail cars were moved onto car float. Car float was towed to centrally located pier on the Manhattan side, also equipped with cranes, which will remove the containers and load them up on motor trucks [8]. 2. DEVELOPING EUROPEAN CONTAINER SYSTEM Next big step was in 1926 in Europe. In this year begun regular connection of luxury passenger train London-Paris, Golden Arrow/Fleche d'Or. For conveyance baggage of passengers was use four containers. These containers was loaded in London or Paris and carried to ports, Dover or Calais, on flat cars in UK and “CIWL Pullman Golden Arroа Fourgon of CIWL” Тn France Д4]. In beggТng of 30’s вears railway had feel more