The Train Communication Network: Standardization goes aboard

Trains have evolved from being the first practical forms of mechanized land transport to the extremely complex and sophisticated transportation systems we currently use. Modern trains systematically incorporate more and more electronic equipment and consequently, nowadays multiple manufacturers and suppliers provide electronic systems for this well-established industry field. The Train Communication Network (TCN) aims to standardize the communication among the electronic equipment on-board of a train, with the final objective of promoting the interoperatively among them and increase the productivity, speeding up development cycles and shortening time-to-market. This paper sums up the main characteristics of TCN, defines the current situation relative to its development degree and describes the effort carried out by the Applied Electronic Research Group (APERT) during the last decade for the design of TCN compliant electronic devices and tools.