Developing standards for system and subsystem interfaces in electric rail passenger vehicles

The Transportation Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) is sponsoring a two year project whose objective is "to design a process for developing consensus standards (physical, logical and electrical) for system and subsystem interfaces for elements of electric rail passenger vehicles (light rail, heavy rail and commuter rail vehicles). Using the process, one or more standards will be produced." This paper identifies the key issues and constraints which must be dealt with in any serious standardization effort, describes the approach which will be taken to establish an ongoing rail standardization activity and concludes by giving a status report on committee activities to date. The key areas for standardisation include microprocessor based signalling systems, onboard communications protocols, electrical couplers, brake and safety systems. The IEEE standards process is outlined.