In today’s trend of railway modernization, stable and intelligent network connectivity has become more than a convenience; it’s a necessity. From operational efficiency to passenger safety, continuous communication between moving trains and control centers has become the cornerstone of today’s intelligent transportation systems. However, unlike road or fixed-location infrastructure, trains often traverse vast terrains and national borders, encountering fragmented network environments, roaming challenges, and service interruptions that hinder seamless operations. The operators need to address these communication gaps to support the high-speed mobility digital era.
Base Station Signal Detection
To ensure uninterrupted service and optimize rail operations, it is essential to understand the coverage and performance of mobile networks along railway corridors. Signal strength can vary drastically due to terrain, tower placement, and weather conditions. A real-time, onboard system that continuously collects base station signal data empowers operators with actionable insights, enabling more accurate coverage mapping, network optimization, and faster responses to connectivity failures.
tBOX520 + VAM701/706: Reliable Data Collection for Onboard Signal Quality Monitoring
Railway-Certified System Built for Field Data Acquisition
The tBOX520 is engineered to meet the rigorous demands of onboard railway environments, featuring EN 50155 and EN 45545-2 certifications, a wide 24–110 VDC power input, and an operating temperature range of -40°C to +70°C (EN 50155 OT4 test and ST1 test). Its fanless, vibration-resistant architecture (EN 61373 category 1 class B) ensures uninterrupted performance, making it ideal for continuous signal quality monitoring along railway routes.
High-Speed LAN Ports for Seamless Router Integration
When paired with the VAM701 and VAM706 value-added modules, the system supports four M12 A-coded and four M12 x-coded GbE LAN ports, ideal for connecting 4G industrial routers. This configuration enables stable data transmission between the train and remote servers, allowing continuous signal strength logging and location-based analysis across the entire journey.
Railway-Ready Module with Proven Durability
The VAM701 and VAM706 are purpose-built for railway connectivity, certified to EN 50155 to ensure compliance with stringent rail industry requirements. They have undergone rigorous vibration (3 Grms) and shock testing to EN 61373 category 1 class B and reinforced with robust M12 connectors. These features guarantee reliable LAN performance even under constant motion and mechanical stress.
The Challenge of Reliable Connectivity in Cross-Region Rail Operations
Trains traveling across countries and network regions must adapt to varying mobile network standards, frequency bands, and coverage quality. These inconsistencies can lead to connection drops, latency spikes, and reduced control over data flow, issues that become even more critical at speeds exceeding 200 km/h. Maintaining uninterrupted, high-speed connectivity in such conditions requires hardware that can operate reliably in harsh environments, support a wide range of communication standards, and switch seamlessly between network providers. The ideal solution should not only meet these capabilities but also offer flexible SIM management and broad network compatibility.
EIO118: Rugged, Intelligent, and Optimized for Railway LTE Connectivity
LTE Cat 4 Performance with Global Band Support
The EIO118 delivers reliable, high-speed wireless communication with LTE Cat 4 capability, providing up to 150 Mbps downlink and 50 Mbps uplink speeds. Supporting a wide range of LTE FDD/TDD, WCDMA, and GSM bands, it ensures compatibility with multiple regional and national networks, making it an ideal choice for trains operating across diverse geographies. Integrated GNSS functionality further enables precise location tracking for enhanced operational visibility.
Designed for Railway-Grade Reliability
Purpose-built for mission-critical transportation applications, the EIO118 operates within a wide temperature range (-40°C to +70°C) and withstands the vibration and shock demands of railway environments. Its seamless SIM card switching feature, combined with an integrated watchdog timer, ensures stable connectivity even in areas with inconsistent signal coverage, critical for maintaining communication during long-haul and cross-border journeys.
Centralized Connection Control with Communication Manager
Beyond connectivity, the EIO118 features Axiomtek’s Communication Manager API, enabling customers to develop their own remote management functions. Users can implement real-time system health monitoring, anomaly detection, SIM card switching, and remote module rebooting through this API. This flexibility helps reduce maintenance efforts, minimizes on-site service, and streamlines software development for large-scale OT infrastructure, which is essential for improving rail internet connectivity.
