R&M to support digitalisation of railway traffic

Author: Simon Rowley

R&M, a Swiss developer and provider of high-end infrastructure solutions for data and communications networks, is supporting the digitalisation of the railways.

R&M is committed to sustainable infrastructure development through advanced cabling solutions for rail transport. With the modernisation of communications networks on the railway lines and in trains, railway companies are starting a new era, and passengers will be able to take advantage of seamless high-speed mobile connections in the future.

Fibre optic cables will be laid along the railway lines and new antenna sites installed for future railway radio systems for the real-time transmission of large volumes of data. These radio systems connect trains with the traffic control systems in the railway’s own data centres via state-of-the-art railway control systems and new digital signal boxes. The aim of digitalisation is to make rail traffic even safer and more efficient in the future, and to further automate it.

R&M has developed the RailCon programme for this application area, giving railway operators complete end-to-end solutions for their cabling infrastructures from a single source. The product portfolio covers the technical levels from plug connectors and wiring to network distributors and cabinet solutions in both indoor and outdoor versions. R&M designs infrastructure solutions based on decades of experience with outdoor solutions for communication technology and in the construction of fibre optic networks. Among other things, the RailCon programme supports the European Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), an important foundation for the further digitalisation of rail transport in the coming decades.

The product portfolio includes the connectors of the HEC family developed by R&M. The outdoor connectors withstand harsh conditions such as changes of temperature, vibrations, dust, moisture, sunshine and electromagnetic fields. For example, the HEC connectors connect the active equipment of communication network installations in underground cable ducts, in outdoor installations or FRMCS radio systems with the fibre optic network. R&M also offers various splice/patch closures, IP68 housings and railway-specific, shielded multi-fibre cables manufactured in-house for cabling in buildings and tunnels, as well as aerial and underground cabling. Other modules are the modular optical distribution frames ODF PRIME and FOXS, the Polaris and LUNAR box families, and the CONEXIO portfolio for the wiring of FRMCS mobile radio sites.

In addition to the product portfolio, the RailCon programme also includes a whole range of services. Cable assemblies, splice closures, distributors and boxes, racks and cabinets can be planned and pre-terminated on a customer or site-specific basis in order to reduce the installation effort on site.

R&M implements customer-specific adaptations and special solutions quickly and reliably in order to inspire customers with convincing results. Support is provided for logistics, installation work, support for initial installation on construction sites as well as specific laboratory tests and approvals.

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