Modular Programmable Controller for Railway Applications

Moxa developed a new all-in-one controller, which is especially suited for railway applications. IoPAC 8600 combines serial, I/O and Ethernet interfaces into a single device and is therefore particularly well-suited for railway applications.

Innovative 2-wire Ethernet Technology
A refurbished train may only have a limited number of coupler poles, even when the entire existing network, which could include wiring for RS-485, CANbus, and other technologies, is removed. Moxa’s 2-wire Ethernet technology offers system integrators the option to upgrade to an IP network using their existing wiring, further reducing the cost and effort associated with other applications. In addition, 2-wire Ethernet supports Ethernet bypass functionality, ensuring that the Ethernet backbone will be available when the network on one of the carriages shuts down.

Reliable Redundancy with up to 200 Mbps Transmission Speed
Moxa’s 2-wire Ethernet solution provides more options for your train communication network refurbishment projects. One 2-wire Ethernet module can be used to create a 100 Mbps Ethernet backbone using existing cabling, and supports by-pass functionality. However, if you’re looking for more bandwidth plus redundancy, you can use Moxa’s 2-wire Ethernet modules in pairs. This innovative solution uses two 2-wire ioPAC Ethernet modules to run a 200 Mbps redundant Ethernet backbone over 4 wires. If one pair of wires fails, the ioPAC will continue to transmit at 100 Mbps over the other two Ethernet wires.

Efficient Automatic Carriage Sequencing (ACS)
Older train systems run on a daisy-chain network topology based on either CANbus or RS-485. When it is time to switch to an IP-based network on the refurbished train, duplicating the automatic carriage sequencing function is not easy to do. Moxa gets around this challenge by building support for ACS functions directly into the new IP network, greatly reducing the effort required by the system integrator.

IoPAC 8600 Programmable Controller Series Features

• Supports computing, I/O, Ethernet, and serial communication
• Modular CPU/PWR/Backplane/IO design supporting ioPAC 8500/8600 series I/O modules
• Supports dual power module with dual power input (9-slot and 12-slot versions)
• Supports C/C++ and IEC 61131-3 programming languages and ready-to-run services
• Supports 24 to 110 V power input range and DI/O modules
• Compliant with EN 50155 and EN 50121-4 specifications