SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONSSUPPLEMENT 03


standard (BR 1845) ensures communication between the rail control centres and the train drivers travelling in the concession. This system covers the two running tunnels, with 100km of dedicated radiating cable.


Eurotunnel shuttles are equipped with cab radios to ensure communication through the track-to-train radio and the concession radio. At the same time, the locomotives on inter national trains intended to go through the Channel Tunnel (currently Eurostar and goods trains) are equipped with so-called ITR cab radios (‘International Train Radio’), developed and custom-made so that trains which have them can communicate on the UK network (+ Eurotunnel) and on the continent. The European Commission issued a


directive defining GSM-R so that all infra - structure managers can have a single communication system in Europe that is compatible between the different railways. Keen to develop its traffic on a European


scale, Eurotunnel immediately joined this initiative, taking a technological leap forward and embracing digital. The contracts, with Alcatel-Lucent on the


one hand and RFF on the other, are intended to develop the systems installed at the beginning of the 1990s in order to overcome


the following difficulties:  As analogue radios are gradually being replaced by digital systems, it is more and more difficult to find replacement parts to repair electronic cards


 Some pieces of equipment and software were developed specifically as part of the Channel Tunnel project


 Radiating cables that were custom- made to meet the requirements of the initial project specification have in part deteriorated in the tunnel environment causing excessive line losses and radio communication quality problems.


The partnership with RFF will also facilitate the installation of an open, interoperable European network for both freight and high-speed trains; and it is opening the door to exchanges of knowledge between the public railways and the private infrastructure operators. Eurotunnel has always kept its infrastructure at the best performance level and thus wishes to


www.europeanrailwayreview.com Eurotunnel GSM-R Network


development, in particular those relating to the control and command of trains through ETCS (European Train Control System) Level 2, which in the future will replace the railway signalling system. Radio coverage of the running tunnels is


ensured by sections of radiating cable of approximately 750m. This radiating cable, the coating of which is adapted to the tunnel environment, is installed at a height of approximately 2m, which optimises signal coverage on board trains travelling in tunnels. The deployment of sections of radiating cable in the running tunnels has already started. New supports have first been installed over the whole


therefore always be available and operational. Likewise, interconnection with the RFF GSM-R core network (in the Paris region) will be via two transmission links with separate physical routes. On a functional level, a user group has been


created to verify that the requirements of the various trades (drivers, railway controllers, maintenance, etc.) who will have to use the communication services will all be satisfied. The GSM-R must also be integrated in the environment of technical systems used by Eurotunnel (rail traffic management system, telephone system) so that it will work in harmony with existing equipment. Various tests are being performed as the


European Railway Review Volume 18, Issue 1, 2012


facilitate a real opening up in competition of UK bound traffic. Another advantage is the opportunity of


sharing the GSM-R core network with a neighbouring railway in order to reduce investment and operating/maintenance costs and benefiting from the services of a tried and tested structure. Preliminary studies have also confirmed the feasibility of connecting the Tunnels’ own equipment to the central equipment of the neighbouring railways. It is therefore on the basis of connecting the


GSM-R infrastructure belonging to Eurotunnel with the central equipment in the GSM-R network belonging to RFF that Alcatel-Lucent has started the design phases relating to the installation of the GSM-R infrastructure. This GSM-R infrastructure, operational comm - issioning of which is planned for the middle of 2014, must also include requirements for future


of the section concerned so that the radiating cable can be installed and fixed. Specific work platforms, installed on flat wagons and integrated in Eurotunnel’s works trains, have been designed to perform this work in the running tunnel environment. The work is scheduled to be performed


during running tunnel maintenance slots which are over weekend nights, i.e. three nights of approximately 6 hours work every week. The radio signal will be carried to the


radiating cable by optical repeaters installed in the service tunnel technical rooms, but also fibre optics which will be deployed in the same place. This architecture will minimise the number of BTS sites (base stations) in the tunnel. The GSM-R network architecture will be


completely redundant so that, if there is ever any disruption or malfunction, another device can take over. The communication service will


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