A Message Broadcast Model for Train-to-Train Communication Network

The railway safety requires that the communication network provides a sufficiently reliable transmission of control message. Though the Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) system is applied, there are still some railway accidents. This paper concentrates on a novel train-to-train communication network, proposes the scheme of message-broadcasting in the scenarios of the regional networks and shunting yard. In the regional networks, the train transmits motion state information to the neighboring and gauge-changing trains while it is in operation. In the case of an emergency, it broadcasts the pre-warning messages to the backward trains. In the shunting yard, each railway carriage of the freight train is equipped with an antenna and a reduction gear. When the railway carriages operate on the same track, they broadcast shunting yard messages to each other to keep distance for safety. Once the speed of the railway carriage surpasses the limit, the reduction gear should begin to work. The train-to-train communication network reduces the cost of the maintenance of the infrastructure, avoids the overall malfunction from the control center system and decreases the time delay produced by the wired-wireless system. In comparison with the wired-wireless system, simulation results show that the train-to-train communication network with the scheme of message-broadcasting improves the network performance to ensure fast, reliable and efficient transmission of the control message.