Iridium® Satellite Communications for Railway Systems
Satellite networks play a critical role in keeping the world’s rail transport and delivery system safe and successful.
With thousands of miles of tracks guiding trains through remote areas without cellular coverage, maintaining continuity of critical services over satellite becomes an invaluable solution.
Supporting capabilities like Positive Train Control, Conductor and crew communications, and distributed track sensors put Iridium rail solutions at the forefront of the industry’s commitment to safety and efficient operations.
Positive Train Control over Satellite
Positive Train Control (PTC) includes protocols and procedures implemented within a train’s operating system and is designed to prevent the most dangerous and life-threatening situations while on track.
PTC helps avoid accidents like train-to-train collisions, incorrect train maneuvers due to improper switching, overspeed derailments, and incursions into established work zones.
Integrating PTC with SATCOM helps maintain a reliable connection, ensuring important data is not lost.
Track Sensors
Track sensors use our satellite network to report data like rail temperature, rail buckling, flooding or other unexpected blockages, including mudslides.
These sensors are placed alongside tracks in areas located far beyond cellular coverage, relying on our network to stay connected, allowing important alternate routing and scheduling data to be delivered.
Rail Sensors in Action
Our partner Radio Data Network’s battery-powered Rail Monitoring Solution captures real-time track temperature data and can be installed almost anywhere.
This gives train conductors and rail control centers forewarning of potential rail buckling due to hot temperatures, or ice buildup in more frigid environments, anywhere along the tracks.
Conductor and Crew Communications
Satellite connectivity plays a crucial role in coordinating logistics between rail cars, trains, and their respective arrival stations.
Whether its transportation of goods or people, ensuring the personnel working on board can communicate effectively is critical to:
- Staying on schedule.
- Communicating with stations.
- Troubleshooting issues with maintenance personnel.
- Transmitting telematics and engine performance data.
- Reaching first responders or rescue centers in case of an emergency.
SATCOM Providing Trains with Complete Network Coverage
Only about 15% of the world has cellular coverage due to the significant upfront build and ongoing operational costs of towers, leaving vast stretches of terrain solely relying on SATCOM.
Building and maintaining an LTE or private rail system network can result in exorbitant ongoing build and maintenance costs, which are difficult to justify relative to SATCOM.
How Iridium Benefits the Railway Market
Antennas and terminals built by our partner ecosystem offer low-latency, weather-resilient truly global connectivity with a variety of size, weight, power and throughput options.
Trains equipped with Iridium Connected™ PTC technology and crew communications systems stay safe and well-coordinated along remote routes, providing both operators and technicians with the data needed to support efficient operations.
Our track sensors deliver a weather-resilient, small-form-factor solution for sending critical safety data, that can be discreetly placed while also not suffering from look-angle challenges encountered by geostationary satellite networks.