Rail-Fi on Track

Several hundred trains will be equipped with Wi-Fi for access and WiMax, satellite, and cell transceivers for backhaul by the end of 2007. Electrical outlets are being added to existing trains and have become a requirement on new passenger cars. With outlets, the train becomes a far superior place to work than any alternative for commuters. Today also brings an expected announcement, which is that Virgin will work with Nomad Digital, the folks behind the Brighton-to-London line, to equip all of its English West Coast trains with Internet service. Nomad uses fixed WiMax at regular intervals to provide service, and notes in this article that they will have the third-generation cellular data standard HSDPA as a backup to cover gaps in service. Top speed will be about 2 Mbps on this line.