Hyundai Rotem Secures First Order for Korea's Train Signaling System with 'World's First' LTE-R Application

KTX1 train to be equipped with domestically developed train control system (KTCS-2)

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Hyundai Rotem is set to commercialize the Korean-style train signaling system utilizing the world's first railway integrated wireless communication network (LTE-R).

On the 16th, Hyundai Rotem announced that it had won the contract for the purchase of the domestically produced KTX onboard signaling device (KTCS-2, Korea Train Control System 2) ordered by Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL).

This project is being carried out to verify the stability and compatibility of the KTCS-2 technology developed as a national R&D project and to commercialize the technology. KTCS-2 technology is a signaling system that can control trains in real time using LTE-R. The project, scheduled for completion in 2022, will be pilot-applied to the 180km section from Iksan to Yeosu Expo on the Jeolla Line.

The railway signaling systems currently operated on domestic high-speed and metropolitan railways use different signaling systems for each line, making them incompatible with each other. Therefore, when operating KTX trains on general or freight lines instead of high-speed lines, additional signaling devices for each line had to be installed on the trains. Also, since trains are controlled using track circuit methods that detect train location via tracks rather than wireless communication, information could only be transmitted from the control center to the train, making it difficult to check the train’s malfunction status and internal conditions.

However, once the railway signaling system is standardized with KTCS-2, railway vehicles can be deployed on various lines without signaling system restrictions, and real-time two-way communication between trains and the control center will be possible, improving operational efficiency and enabling rapid response to emergencies.

The market size for the KTCS-2 onboard signaling system developed by Hyundai Rotem is expected to reach approximately 400 billion KRW by 2024. The Korea Rail Network Authority has announced plans to gradually expand the installation of KTCS-2 across all nationwide lines based on the results of this pilot operation.

Following last month’s contract for the Korean-style urban railway signaling system (KTCS-M), Hyundai Rotem now holds commercial achievements for all KTCS-related technologies through this KTX domestically produced onboard signaling device project, and plans to expand orders for signaling system projects based on this.

A Hyundai Rotem official stated, "We will do our best to deliver an optimized signaling system to ensure the successful pilot operation of KTCS-2," adding, "This order is the result of our R&D achievements, and we plan to focus our sales capabilities on securing additional projects based on this."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.