Development of mobile communication systems for high-speed railway

Abstract

Development of high-speed railways set up challenges for new communication technologies. With the increase in speed, new requirements for communication systems have emerged that HSR requires greater reliability, capacity and shorter response time for efficient and safe operations. Mobile communication systems are crucial for the competitiveness of the railway industry and therefore have become one of the priorities addressed by the participants in the railway system to take advantage of technological opportunities to improve operational processes and the quality of provided transport services. The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) uses the Global System for Mobile Communications for Railways (GSM-R) for voice and data communication to communicate between trains and control centers. The International Railway Union is exploring new ways of communicating for high-speed railways because as speed increases this system becomes unreliable in information transmission. This paperwork presents an analysis of the evolution of communications on European railways since the usage of GSM-R. In addition, an overview of the various alternative solutions proposed during the time (LTE-R, Future Railway Mobile Communication System) as possible successors to GSM-R technology is given.