A Survey on Future Railway Radio Communications Services: Challenges and Opportunities

TL;DR

This survey reviews the evolving landscape of railway radio communications, highlighting technological advancements, opportunities for improved safety and efficiency, and the challenges faced in implementing future wireless services in railways.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of current and emerging radio communication technologies, identifying key challenges and opportunities for future railway wireless services.

Findings

Radio communications enable safer and more efficient railways.

Emerging technologies like ERTMS and CBTC have improved safety and reduced headway.

Significant research and development opportunities exist in railway wireless communications.

Abstract

Radio communications is one of the most disruptive technologies in railways, enabling a huge set of value-added services that greatly improve many aspects of railways, making them more efficient, safer, and profitable. Lately, some major technologies like ERTMS for high-speed railways and CBTC for subways have made possible a reduction of headway and increased safety never before seen in this field. The railway industry is now looking at wireless communications with great interest, and this can be seen in many projects around the world. Thus, railway radio communications is again a flourishing field, with a lot of research and many things to be done. This survey article explains both opportunities and challenges to be addressed by the railway sector in order to obtain all the possible benefits of the latest radio technologies.