Author(s)

E Mingozzi, G Cau & F Cavaliere

Abstract

Here are described the activity of research, test, commissioning and conformance assessment carried out by the Italian Railway to introduce the Train Communication Network in the vehicles of the fleet. This system can be considered like a train infrastructure capable to configure itself automatically and to connect, through common interfaces, all the on board electronic equipment. The network transfers along the train a great amount of data, both in cyclical and sporadic way. and this allows to realise new applications and to improve the existing one; among the first we have the Passenger Information System and the Centralised Train Diagnostic, for the second the most important is the Remote Control for Traction which equips all new locomotives like E 402A, E 402B, E 412, E 464, the steering coaches Z1 and the TAF Electrical Multiple Units. The Remote Control is here examined in some details, mostly because FS - TRENITALIA is the unique railway operator which has put in composition and made work together vehicles from different manufacturers in such a complicated application. For this reason. FS promoted inside the international assembly (Union International des Chemis de fer) the developing of conformity evaluation procedures and tools, which led to have at disposal open standards and the corresponding facilities to perform the tests. TRENITALIA has one of the three existing UIC-TCN Test Beds in the world capable to assess the conformity of TCN equipment which support UIC applications (remote control, diagnostics, passenger information system, doors, etc.) and some homologation experiences, methods and results are considered. Since the beginning of year 200 1, push-pull trains using Remote Control have been put into service on the north-south and west- east corridors of Italy and the results of exploitation have shown the great benefits of this technology.

Keywords