Overview
One of the enabling technologies for FDFTO is the Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC) which is used to connect the locomotive and all wagons. The proposed project focuses on enhancing the flexibility and efficiency of train topology discovery (TTD) with the Powerline PLUS Train Backbone (PTB). PTB is an innovative technology that uses Powerline Communication (PLC) to provide robust data and energy transmission from the locomotive to all wagons over the train power distribution line and the e-coupler in the DAC. While PTB has proven successful in field trials, the current approach for TTD faces limitations in dynamic shunting scenarios, which involve frequent coupling and decoupling of many wagons. The project aims to develop a new dynamic TTD protocol to address these challenges and enable robust detection of topology changes with minimal latency, targeting a maximum of five seconds.
