The problem of the arch barrel deformation in railway backfilled arch bridges caused by their typical service loads is analysed. The main attention is paid to vertical or radial displacements of characteristic points of the arch barrel. In the study results of deflection measurements carried out on single and multi-span backfilled arch bridges made of bricks or plain concrete during passages of various typical railway vehicles are used. On the basis of such results empirical influence functions of displacements are being created. In the next step, the results are utilised to estimate bending effects within the arch. The paper includes different procedures based on measurements of displacements in various points and directions. Using empirical influence functions arbitrary virtual load cases may be also considered. In this manner the proposed methodology shows a potential to be an effective tool of comprehensive calibration of numerical models of backfilled arch bridges on the basic of field tests carried out under any live loads.