Rail manufacturers and operators are finding that introducing Ethernet networks to replace aging rail communications bus technology is a way of increasing on-board functionality while also lowering costs. This is because Ethernet products are common and available off-the-shelf, even for high data transmission and bandwidth applications, while rail-specific network equipment is highly customized and comes with high maintenance and replacement costs.
Sensors, on-board processing and other electronic systems have become more prevalent on trains, putting strain on the existing Train Communication Network (TCN) standard for data communication. Recently, train manufacturers and system integrators have been making greater use of Ethernet technology to supplement TCN, with the ultimate goal of replacing the legacy technology entirely with an Ethernet standard.
However, applying Ethernet-based networks within the harsh on-board train environment poses technical challenges in terms of network configuration and component performance – the solutions to which include using the most qualified, high performance interconnects, capable of delivering a fault tolerant network that adheres to the unique topology of the train, even under severe mechanical and elemental stresses.
