Characterization of the Propagation Channel on board Trains

The propagation channel aboard trains is investigated with reference to the attenuation law governing propagation within cars, to the frequency response and impulse response for both horizontal and vertical polarization, and to the delay spread. Results show that the path loss exponent is slighlty smaller than in free space, possibly due to reflections by metal walls, and that it does not depend significantly on the position of transmitter and receiver. Also, the average value of the delay spread changes with polarization, proving that the latter impacts the channel’s statistical properties. The main application of the study is the investigation of the reliability features of telecommunication systems on board, for both infotainment and safety purposes.