Market understanding and local presence are key elements in the railway industry. EKE-Electronics, a leading Finnish railway electronics firm, is actively pursuing the Russian railway market in two major areas: firstly, EKE Electronics now has its own office in Moscow, which reinforced its operation in spring 2009, and secondly it has started a co-operation with the All-Russian Railway Research Institute (VNIIZHT).

VNIIZhT is a major scientific-research centre incorporating 18 scientific-research divisions, like an experimental loop, high-speed test track, design bureaus and experimental workshops. The main areas of development are electric traction power-supply equipment; control systems for domestic freight and passenger trains, improving of technical characteristics for locomotives; testing; and certification and standardisation procedures.

The purpose of the EKE and VNIIZHT collaboration is to create a new modern control and diagnostic system, which will replace the existing system in passenger intercity and commuter trains. For the train operators this will mean extremely low running costs, easy serviceability and a 20-year product lifecycle, which in the end saves money.

In September 2009, EKE-Electronics and VNIIZHT jointly built up the first electric train control system based on the industry standard WTB communication bus. The system is intended for central control, diagnostic and data registration of all train equipment.

In this project EKE-Electronics supplied VNIIZHT with the hardware system, including racks with the following modules: graphical display module (CPG), wire train bus interface module (WTB), analogue input module (AIO) and digital input/ output module (DIO).

At the same time VNIIZHT has developed the system software in C++ language. The software can perform not only standard operations like door/light/compressor control, but also traction and braking control. This electric train control system will be used together with Russian KLUB cab safety equipment and the SAUT brake automatic control system. The future plans include the installation of the electric train control system in the train that operates on the experimental loop in Shcherbinka, and creation of a training demonstration stand.

The electric train control system based on the train bus will be presented at the II International Railway Technology Salon, EXPO 1520, which will take place between 9-12 September 2009 in Moscow, Russia. We will be located in pavilion two, stand number ?07/2.