Westermo, in partnership with Eviden has won the DB InfraGO Rail Data Transfer Challenge, an innovation program by DB mindbox, the startup hub of Deutsche Bahn Group. The win was preceded by a multi-stage evaluation process and a final on-site demonstration under real railway conditions. The combined solution, based on multi-gigabit mmWave technology, demonstrated high-performance wireless data transfer between train and ground infrastructure and as a result secured the top position among competing approaches.
The Rail Data Transfer Challenge attracted 19 international submissions. The process began with initial concept submissions, from which five teams were selected. These teams then took part in DB’s virtual “challenge days”, working closely with Deutsche Bahn experts to refine their concepts and align them with real use cases. After final concept presentations, three teams progressed to the on-site demonstration stage in Minden. There, solutions were tested under comparable real-world railway conditions, with a strong focus on performance and robustness of wireless technologies. Westermo and Eviden emerged as winners based on the strength of their results and overall system approach.
Solving a critical bottleneck in digital rail infrastructure
Modern inspection trains generate up to 10 Terabytes of data per day, including high-resolution video, images, sensor, and infrastructure data, which must be transferred within limited stabling times. DB InfraGO’s challenge focused on identifying scalable solutions capable of transferring these volumes wirelessly within a few hours, reliably and without manual intervention. At the demonstration stage in Minden, the winners showcased a solution specifically designed for train-to-ground data offloading in depot and yard environments.
The approach combines Blu Wireless’ patented mmWave technology for multi-gigabit wireless transmission with Westermo’s railway-grade networking expertise for robust and secure operation. Eviden contributed data pre- and post-processing capabilities, ensuring efficient handling, preparation, and integrity of the transferred data within the overall solution. In the live test scenario, the solution achieved data transfer rates of up to 2.4 Gbps in a single stream, confirming its ability to handle large-scale data transfer in realistic conditions. mmWave technology provides the high bandwidth and low latency required for such applications, making it well suited for transferring large data volumes within tight operational timeframes.
Next step: 100-day proof of concept
Following the successful demonstration, the consortium will now enter the next phase with DB InfraGO and DB mindbox: a 100-day proof of concept, focusing on further system integration and validation in operational railway environments. This next phase will provide the foundation for potential future deployment across multiple depots and train fleets.
