Wireless communication technology for training communication networks

With the rapid development of the high-speed railway industry, the demand for onboard communication networks has steadily increased. Traditional wired networks, due to their complexity in installation and maintenance, struggle to meet the requirements of intelligent train systems.

In a study published in KeAi journal High-speed Railway, a team of researchers from China introduced and validated a wireless train communication network (WTCN) based on the CR400 EMU.

"The reliability and real-time performance of train communication systems are crucial for ensuring safe operation and efficient service," says co-author Professor Fengye Hu from the College of Communication Engineering at Jilin University. "The adoption of wireless communication technology significantly reduces cabling complexity and maintenance costs while offering greater flexibility for system upgrades and fault recovery."

The research team conducted systematic laboratory simulations of typical communication scenarios in EMUs, including intra-carriage, inter-carriage and roof-mounted environments. They then deployed two different WiFi bridge devices and conducted comprehensive measurements of throughput and latency.

“The results demonstrated excellent overall performance, with directional antennas showing remarkable adaptability in narrow and enclosed environments, enhancing signal coverage and transmission stability,” says corresponding author Professor Zhuang Ling.

Notably, the application of wireless communication in high-speed railways not only needs to meet bandwidth requirements, but also demands low latency and high stability in complex environments.

“Our experiments reveal that directional antennas exhibit outstanding adaptability in the confined spaces of train carriages, and WiFi bridge devices are feasible for communication within single carriages and between adjacent carriages,” adds Ling.

Furthermore, the WTCN integrates Low Power Wide Area Network (LoRa) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technologies, enhancing the train's ability to sense internal and external conditions. This multi-layered approach provides additional intelligence and monitoring capabilities for onboard networks.

"We hope our findings offer references for designing safer and more intelligent train communication networks in the future," says Hu.

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Contact author details: Zhuang Ling, College of Communication Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China, lingzhuang@jlu.edu.cn