At the end of 1986, the SNCF will own nearly 4,000 km of line and more than 2,500 locomotives and motor-driven trainsets provided with train-ground radio without data transmission facilities. Discussions, studies and tests carried out over nearly a decade have recently resulted in the production of a powerful system with data transmission facilities. This provides, apart from the usual acoustic link, a channel for permanent data transmission at 1,200 bits/s in the absence of speech and (employing a temporary multiplex link) at 300 bit/s during speech. Furthermore, acoustic compatibility with UIC systems is ensured.