New Huber+Suhner products at InnoTrans 2014 Set to Enable Gigabit Ethernet Services in Trains

The range of new Huber+Suhner products launched at InnoTrans 2014 will illustrate the company’s vision for the future of railway communications. On a joint booth with Swissrail in Hall 2.2 at InnoTrans, Huber+Suhner's exhibits will include new power and signal cables and innovative products for data transmission. The company will be launching its new 120 ohm data bus cable family and fiber optic jumper cables and will also be showing two new MIMO roof top antennas.

“Today’s rail transport needs to be faster, safer and much more efficient,” said Alun Thomas market unit manager of Huber+Suhner. “Railway operators must be able to provide added comfort and perfect services for customers. More and more complex systems are entering the market to help train operators to meet these requirements. At InnoTrans 2014 we look forward to showing our vision of connectivity solutions for next generation rail vehicles.”

New in Energy and Signal Transmission

Huber+Suhner will be showing the new thin-walled cable families RADOX EN 50306 300V and RADOX TENUIS-TW 600V. Compared to conventional railway cables they are especially space and weight saving. Their electron beam cross-linked RADOX insulation material ensure that they retain their shape even under extremely high temperatures caused for example by short circuits.

Maximizing Data Rates with MIMO

Beside new cables for power transmission Huber+Suhner will be offering new products for data transmission. The company will be showing two new components in its extensive range of roof top antennas. The omni-directional SENCITY Rail MIMO antenna allows system integrators and OEMs to upgrade rail vehicles to 4G/LTE standard with very little installation effort. The introduction of MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) enables a much higher data throughput rate than with standard antennas. This is particularly important for applications that require high data rates, such as ‘Internet on board,’ CCTV or repeater systems.

Huber+Suhner’s new low-profile MIMO antenna, particularly suitable for double-decker trains or for rail routes with tunnels, will also be launched at InnoTrans 2014. Customers who have already installed a SENCITY Rail antenna benefit from a clever solution: since they use the same mounting scheme, existing antennas can be replaced by the new antennas with minimal effort.

Expanded Range of Cables for EN 45545

Huber+Suhner’s expanded range of radio frequency cables will also be on show featuring the new RF jumper cables: the SPUMA 195-FR-01 and SPUMA 240-FR-01. These are highly flexible cables which are particularly suited to situations where a small bending radius is required. The range also includes the new SPUMA 500-FR-01 feeder cable, particularly suitable for long distances due to its very low attenuation. All these new SPUMA cables were designed to complete Huber+Suhner’s railway-specific range of cables in accordance with the EN 45545 standard.

The new RADOX 120 ohm data bus cables also meet this new standard. The product is typically used as the control cable for MVB (Multi-function Vehicle Bus) or WTB (Wire Train Bus) applications and connects different devices with the driver’s cab. The electron beam cross-linked RADOX material means the cable remains stable at very low and very high temperatures.

Connections for In-Train Gigabit Backbone

Finally Huber+Suhner will demonstrate how a Gigabit backbone can be built into the train using fiber optic cables. RADOX fiber optic cables have already been proven in various projects, however the market remains hesitant about the use of fiber optic technology between carriages. Huber+Suhner will therefore be showing its project-specific jumper cables at the event. These cables are resistant to vibration and shock according to the IEC 61373 standard. Tested over several millions of inter-vehicle movement cycles and installed for many years on operating trains, these cable systems have shown that, even under harsh environmental conditions, the data transmission performance remains extremely stable over time. This proves that the technology represents a reliable option for Gigabit backbones in trains.

Drawing all these innovations together, Huber+Suhner will be demonstrating a comprehensive portfolio of products that companies in the rail industry can use to fully equip themselves for the future.

Exhibition visitors can see the Huber+Suhner vision for future railway connections in Hall 2.2 at InnoTrans 2014, Berlin, 23-26 September, at a joint stand with Swissrail.