For many Class 1 Railroads, compliance with the Government’s Positive Train Control (PTC) Enforcement and Implementation Act has become quite an undertaking. One of the biggest challenges facing the Railroads is the ability to communicate with trains in Dark Territory.
A Class 1 Railroad supplier needed an RF connector that would not vibrate loose and stand up to harsh environmental conditions.
The Challenge:
Installation of communications equipment, towers, antennas and cabling provides the basis for communications within the Dark Territory. Component selection is crucial due to the remoteness and environmental conditions in these areas making access for service technicians very difficult.
Where there are towers and antennas there are cables. And where there are cables there are connectors. In most environments a standard high quality RF connector will handle the job just fine but not along the railroad. As trains pass the communications towers and shelters they generate a large amount of vibration which can cause the RF connectors to loosen causing signal degradation or loss. This loss of signal in a remote location or dark territory could halt train movement for days resulting in huge financial losses to the railroad.
The Solution:
To eliminate the vibration issue and withstand the harsh environmental conditions, RF Industries recommended their Comp Pro® line of connectors.
The Comp Pro® is a ruggedized connector with a moisture ingress rating of IP68 that offers quick and easy compression installation. The Comp Pro connector will not vibrate loose and demonstrates excellent RF performance.
The solution solved the vibration problem resulting in fewer signal outages and a drastic reduction in technician deployments to remote areas.
Comp Pro is a registered trademark of RF Industries
