Recent trains have broadband train communication networks to improve train operation safety and to provide passengers with multimedia services. Compared to glass optical fiber, plastic optical fiber (POF) has a large diameter; it also provides the good durability and maintainability necessary to railway applications. This paper suggests an All-IP broadband train communication network that connects all devices in the train through a POF interface. Performance tests according to Korean railroad standards shows that this POF interface is usable in the range of vibration and temperature conditions encountered in trains. A dedicated Layer-2 switch with the POF interface is developed for the construction of the All-IP train communication network. A prototype 1Gbps train communication network was set up in a trial-run of train on a metro line using the developed Layer-2 switch and POF. On-track tests indicated the feasibility of the POF train communication network. POF has an additional advantage of economic feasibility, and it is expected to start a trend toward broadband train communication networks using POF.
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