back to article German railways upgrade their comms tech from 2G to 4G

German choo-choo chaps Deutsche Bahn are replacing their GSM-R communications technology and has commissioned a consortium of Siemens Convergence Creators and Huawei to sort out the migration of the system across northern Germany's railway lines. GSM-R is a technology which dates back around 15 years and provides both voice …

  1. Chris Miller
    Coat

    Since the picture shows a gauge reading in MPH, I assume it isn't a DB loco.

    Mine's the anorak ...

    1. Anonymous Custard
      Trollface

      Come on - this is an el Reg stock photo attempt at a story image.

      We're doing well that it's of a train interior given their usual standard of relevance...

    2. David Webb

      That and the fact the writing is in English, two big pointers there. Sherlock got nowt on us!

    3. Len
      Devil

      I'll raise you with a bigger anorak.

      Here is the source image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/joshtechfission/8867725658

      Apparently it's a British Rail Class 55: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_55

      Top tip: Don't press that red button on the top left. It stops all trains in the vicinity. Useful if you've just crashed into a lorry on a level crossing and don't want a colleague coming from the other direction crash into it as well. Not recommended at other times.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        I'll raise you with a bigger anorak.

        Len: Consider your large anorak confiscated and your sandwiches stomped on for your failure to use the term "Deltic".

      2. gazthejourno

        It took me a bloody long time to find an actual picture of a GSM-R cab radio for our image library. You'll find we've used it in a few places, all entirely within context. Though I must admit I have no idea what type of train it's in!

      3. Jon Massey

        Interesting... that image is CC-BY-SA licensed and it appears El Reg hasn't respected the BY or the SA clauses!

  2. Anthony Hegedus Silver badge

    Sure that panel isn't from a yacht?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Mushroom

    Siemens and Huawei.

    Both full of malware, I won't be taking a train in Germany again any time soon.

  4. Bad Beaver
    Go

    Oh, so the comms is the problem?

    That's surprising, as trains get delayed around here rather often because the aircon in their multi-million-€-trains was not designed to handle the insane heat of the notoriously hot German summer or because the whole railway-system is unable to cope with the sudden and unexpected arrival of that weird phenomenon they call "winter". Really looking forward to that being solved by 4G -> Die Bahn kommt.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Oh, so the comms is the problem?

      The performance of the air handling units is very important.

      To such an extent that I'm convinced that at least one operator in the south east of the UK (generally serving routes between London Liverpool Street and to the north and east of the smoke, covering a greater part of Anglia) runs the heating at full blast in the summer so it is ready for the winter (who would want to be in a carriage in the winter without heating!) and the cooling at full blast in the winter (who would want to be in a carriage in the summer without cooling!).

      And the comms are important to ensure that the slow stopping service leaves *just* in front of the express service. Sometimes it is necessary to even hold up the express service to ensure this procession.

      1. Sgt_Oddball

        Re: Oh, so the comms is the problem?

        Oh come now, you southerners think the trains are only crap down south. The most congested route is the trans-pennine express from Liverpool to Newcastle (the worst being York to Manchester, you end up standing ontop of the standing people. Sort of looks like the Japanese railways at times). Which recently had trains stolen from them for the hard pressed southern rail.......

  5. An0n C0w4rd

    ECML

    Recently read somewhere else a story about the Network Rail plan to switch the East Coast Main Line (between Kings Cross and Edinburgh) over to ERTMS, at least in the southern part of the route, due to European compatibility regulations

    http://www.railengineer.uk/2015/03/18/the-challenge-of-ertms-on-the-ecml/

    They specifically call out 2G based GSM-R as a problem. What's the bet that the Germans upgrade to 4G based radios and the UK subsequently installs a 2G based solution because we're idiots?

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like