The ETCS TIU (Train Interface Unit) is a critical component in the European Train Control System (ETCS), facilitating communication between the Train Control and Management System (TCMS) and the ETCS onboard equipment, ensuring seamless operation and integration.
This diagram is adapted from https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-modes/rail/ertms/what-ertms-and-how-does-it-work/subsystems-and-constituents-ertms_en with the addition of the TCMS box. The original source is acknowledged for the conceptual foundation.
Key Functions of the ETCS TIU:
- Interface with Train Systems:
o The TIU connects the ETCS onboard equipment to the Train Control and Management System (TCMS) and other onboard systems, such as braking, propulsion, and safety mechanisms.
o It interprets commands from the ETCS system, such as braking requests, and translates them into actions for the train’s systems. - Safety Compliance:
o TIUs are designed to comply with high safety integrity levels (e.g., SIL 2 or higher) to ensure the reliability of train control and prevent unsafe conditions. - Signal Conversion:
o It converts ETCS instructions into signals that the train’s systems can understand and execute. - Feedback to ETCS:
o The TIU collects data from the train, such as speed, direction, and brake status, and communicates it back to the ETCS onboard system.
EKE-Trainnet® ECTS-TIU Gateway
EKE-Trainnet® Gateways can be used as ETCS-TIU Gateways acting as vital interfaces between disparate systems. These gateways will enable the seamless exchange of data between otherwise incompatible technologies, ensuring that new advancements in ETCS can integrate with legacy rolling stock.
Why Choose EKE as your ETCS-TIU Supplier?
Our EKE-Trainnet® Gateways supports SIL 2 development, with some key modules already precertified. Its modular design allows you to select only the features you need, creating a cost-efficient, flexible, and versatile solution with a simplified architecture. An EKE-Trainnet® ETCS-TIU Gateways can combine a combination of bus technologies, as your needs require, including WTB, MVB, CAN and Serial Links.
