Hyundai unveils world’s first commercial LTE train signaling system

Hyundai Rotem Co., a South Korean manufacturer of rolling stock, defense products and plant equipment, in a world first has commercialized a train signaling system based on fourth-generation wireless communications (LTE).

The company on Monday said its Korean Train Control System (KTCS-2) began commercial operation on the 180-kilometer section of the Jeolla Line between the major national rail junction of Iksan, North Jeolla Province, and Yeosu Expo Station in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.

KTCS-2, a real-time train signaling system using the wireless rail communications network LTE-R, checks operating data in real time such as a train’s location and speed and adjusts intervals between trains.

In 2012, Hyundai Rotem joined the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's R&D project for standardization of such systems and localized KTCS-2 in 2018. The ministry selected the Jeolla Line as a pilot route and began the verification process for KTCS-2 from December 2020.

Use of KTCS-2 will raise the number of train intervals up to 23% and transportation capacity 20%. Evaluations based on the global criteria of European rail found that the system’s safety jumped a whopping 581% from that of a conventional model.

KTCS-2 is expected to lead to the standardization of the country’s railway signaling systems.

Such systems used in bullet-train and metropolitan rail in the country suffer from compatibility problems because each route uses a different system from an overseas company. Through unification under KTCS-2, however, trains nationwide can travel any route regardless of signaling system restrictions.

Based on KTCS-2’s operating results, Hyundai Rotem plans to expand its use nationwide and export it to regions like Europe.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com