Learn how Remotatec and Globalsat found a solution to integrate the communication of Rumo's North Line without the need for large investments in infrastructure.
THE COMPANY
Rumo is the largest railroad operator in Brazil and offers logistics services for rail transportation, port lifting and warehousing. The company operates 12 transshipment terminals, six port terminals and manages around 14,000 kilometers of railroads in the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Goiás and Tocantins. The asset base is formed by 1,200 locomotives and 33,000 wagons.
THE CHALLENGE
The railway lines that cut through Brazilian territory pass through remote regions with diverse characteristics that often make communication difficult. The Northern Network, for example, which crosses the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo, has a large active team, such as train drivers, track maintenance operators, yard workers and Operations Center operators.
Currently, the technology used by Rumo in the Santos mountain range is basically composed of digital NXDN IDAS and analog radios. This system is the best solution for the mountains due to the characteristics of the region. The challenge presented to Remotatec was to integrate the current communication protocols with the new satellite radio technology that uses SIP protocol. For Globalsat, the objective was to develop voice communication along the stretch of the North Network taking into consideration the geographical obstacles and the long distances, without investing in a large infrastructure, such as the installation of towers, for example.
THE SOLUTION
The proposed solution was to use Cobham Inmarsat satellite communication radios, supplied by Globalsat. These radios operate through geostationary satellites that cover most of the globe, making them ideal for remote regions. To integrate this technology with all the other systems already used by Rumo, Remotatec implemented satellite communication integration into its dispatch console system – the TXROIP.
After being implemented, homologated, and tested in controlled environments, Remotatec's technical team installed five new dispatch positions capable of communicating with all the groups of Cobham radios.
THE BENEFITS
Because they are radios with satellite communication, the new configuration has made it possible to enjoy the advantages of a traditional radio without needing expensive structures and a coverage area restricted to towers.
Furthermore, the integration of satellite communication with other technologies was carried out through the console system already used by Rumo: the TXROIP from Remotatec. This way, the additional cost of acquiring, installing, and training on a new communication tool outside the current ecosystem was avoided. Now, it is possible to integrate the Cobham radios with all other protocols in the Remotatec console system, which enables the CCO to perform push-to-talk communication and record the communications made.