Remote Monitoring for Light Rail Systems: Discover how Robustel & GSL enable real-time remote access for CCTV and diagnostics in Bozankaya’s tram fleet using R3000 routers and RCMS.
As cities expand and transit networks modernize, the demand for secure, real-time connectivity in light rail systems is rapidly increasing. In Turkey’s Kocaeli province, the Metropolitan Municipality partnered with Bozankaya to deploy a fleet of modern trams aimed at enhancing public mobility. A core requirement was the ability to remotely access onboard systems such as Passenger Information Systems (PIS), CCTV, and vehicle diagnostics in real time. Without reliable wireless communication, operators risk delayed incident response, limited situational awareness, and costly maintenance inefficiencies. This project aimed to overcome those challenges with a future-ready remote connectivity solution tailored for urban light rail.
Deployment Partner - GSL
GSL is a leading Turkish provider of industrial networking and communication solutions, specializing in complex deployments across transportation, energy, and public infrastructure sectors. As Robustel's strategic local partner, GSL was responsible for designing, specifying, and implementing the remote access architecture for the Bozankaya tramway project. With deep expertise in ruggedized IoT deployments and industrial compliant systems, GSL played a pivotal role in aligning Robustel's industrial connectivity solutions to the unique operational needs of light rail applications.
End Customer - Bozankaya A.Ş.
Bozankaya A.Ş. is a prominent Turkish manufacturer of electric buses and rail systems, known for delivering next-generation urban transport solutions across Europe and the Middle East. For this project, Bozankaya supplied 15 trams to Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, equipped with advanced passenger information and safety systems. The integration of remote connectivity into these vehicles was essential to meet modern standards for safety, responsiveness, and operational efficiency.
Business Challenge 1: Unstable Connectivity in Motion
Urban environments present a notoriously difficult landscape for maintaining stable wireless communication—particularly for moving vehicles like trams. Signal interference from buildings, fluctuating tower coverage, and the dynamic nature of mobile handovers all contribute to frequent connection drops and inconsistent data throughput. For a modern light rail system such as Kocaeli’s, this creates critical vulnerabilities. Essential onboard systems—including CCTV cameras, Passenger Information Systems (PIS), and diagnostics interfaces—depend on uninterrupted, high-bandwidth communication to function as intended.
Without stable connectivity, live video streams may lag or disconnect, system alerts may not reach control centers in real time, and remote troubleshooting becomes impossible. Operators are left without the situational awareness needed to ensure safety and efficiency. These lapses can delay response to incidents, disrupt passenger services, and drive up maintenance costs.
The solution demanded a wireless infrastructure capable of providing resilient, high-speed backhaul across varied urban conditions. That meant supporting seamless network transitions, low-latency data transfer, and continuous performance—whether the tram was in motion, at a terminal, or passing through low-signal zones. Robustel’s cellular technology met this challenge head-on.
Business Challenge 2: Environmental Stress in Rail Applications
Rail transport environments are among the most demanding for industrial electronics. Trams operate year-round in conditions that range from sweltering summer heat to freezing winter temperatures, with frequent exposure to moisture, dust, and vibration. For cities like Kocaeli, where climatic variability is pronounced, onboard communication systems must perform flawlessly regardless of the external environment. A failed router during a summer heatwave or a winter storm can disrupt surveillance, halt diagnostics, and compromise passenger services.
The communication infrastructure also needs to operate alongside other sensitive railway systems. In this project, data from onboard systems was routed through an EN50155-compliant Ethernet switch, ensuring safe operation in a railway-specific electromagnetic environment. While the router itself does not require EN50155 certification, it must integrate reliably within that ecosystem and tolerate similar stresses.
GSL’s challenge was to source a communications solution that maintained reliable performance in the face of constant vibration, electrical noise, and a wide operating temperature range. Robustel’s R3000-4L router delivered industrial-grade resilience—capable of operating from -40 to +75°C with a rugged IP30-rated metal enclosure and proven durability across harsh conditions.
Business Challenge 3: Lack of Real-time Oversight and Diagnostics
Modern light rail systems depend on seamless integration between onboard equipment and centralized operations. Real-time visibility into tram subsystems—such as Passenger Information Systems (PIS), CCTV, and vehicle diagnostics—is essential not only for passenger safety but also for minimizing service disruptions and maintenance overhead. Without a reliable remote access framework, any issue—be it a camera outage, a malfunctioning display, or a diagnostic alert—must be identified and resolved manually, often requiring physical inspections or on-site technician visits.
For Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, these inefficiencies posed operational and financial risks. In a high-frequency transit environment, delays in detecting faults can cascade into extended downtime, eroded public trust, and unnecessary labor costs. What was needed was a communications backbone capable of streaming real-time data from the tram to the control center securely and consistently.
With support from GSL, the deployed Robustel solution provided the essential infrastructure for live data transmission, remote diagnostics, and centralized monitoring. Using VPN-secured 4G connectivity and RCMS cloud integration, operators could monitor system health, respond to anomalies, and access onboard equipment without delay—ultimately reducing response times, lowering operational costs, and improving service continuity.
Light Rail Remote Monitoring System - Solution Overview
To enable secure, real-time access to critical onboard systems, Robustel R3000-4L industrial cellular routers were deployed across Bozankaya’s fleet of trams. These devices served as the communications backbone, linking onboard systems—including CCTV, Passenger Information Systems (PIS), and vehicle diagnostics—to the central control center via 4G LTE. The routers acted as wireless gateways, managing all data traffic between the vehicle and operations team through secure VPN tunnels, while simultaneously offering local access capabilities via Wi-Fi and real-time fleet visibility using built-in GPS.
Crucially, each tram’s onboard architecture featured an EN50155-compliant Ethernet switch, which aggregated data from multiple subsystems before passing it to the Robustel router for uplink. This allowed for a clean, modular setup that ensured compliance with rail-specific EMC standards while leveraging the R3000’s industrial-grade resilience. From temperature extremes to mechanical vibration, the R3000 performed reliably in the demanding physical and electromagnetic environment typical of rail infrastructure.
Why GSL Chose the Robustel R3000-4L
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Reliable 4G Connectivity with VPN Security
The R3000 provided consistently stable 4G LTE communication, critical for transmitting sensitive data like CCTV feeds and diagnostics. Its support for encrypted VPN tunnels ensured end-to-end data protection.
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Dual SIM Failover for Redundancy
Built-in dual SIM functionality enabled automatic network failover, maintaining uninterrupted connectivity in areas with weak or inconsistent cellular coverage.
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Integrated GPS for Fleet Tracking
The onboard GPS module delivered accurate real-time location data, essential for centralized monitoring and route optimization.
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Wi-Fi Support for Local Access
Wi-Fi capability allowed technicians to access system interfaces directly from within or near the tram, simplifying maintenance and updates without physical disassembly.
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RCMS Cloud Integration for Scalable Management
Robustel’s Remote Cloud Management System (RCMS) allowed GSL and Kocaeli operators to monitor, configure, and update routers remotely—reducing the need for on-site interventions.
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Industrial Design for Harsh Environments
Operating within a temperature range of -40°C to +75°C, the IP30-rated metal enclosure and robust EMC protection made the R3000 ideal for rugged transit conditions.
Partner-Led Deployment Success
As the technical consultant and local solution provider, GSL was instrumental in designing and executing the architecture of the remote access system. They evaluated hardware options based on environmental and operational requirements, coordinated procurement and integration timelines, and ensured the R3000-4L-W-GPS was configured to meet the specific needs of Bozankaya’s rail application. GSL’s deep domain expertise in industrial connectivity and strong partnership with Robustel ensured a smooth deployment and a scalable foundation for future system expansions.
Key Outcomes for Kocaeli Municipality
The success of the Bozankaya tramway connectivity project hinged not only on the strength of the hardware but also on the precision of its deployment. Robustel’s industrial-grade cellular routers, combined with GSL’s deep technical knowledge and integration capabilities, delivered a solution that performed reliably in the demanding conditions of light rail transport. From configuration to real-time operation, the system demonstrated how carefully aligned technology and local expertise can significantly enhance the safety, efficiency, and scalability of public transportation networks.
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Improved Operational Visibility
By enabling remote access to onboard systems, including diagnostics and live video feeds, the system gave operators full situational awareness at all times. This visibility allowed for faster fault identification and proactive response, significantly reducing system downtime and improving service continuity.
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Enhanced Passenger Safety
Continuous uplink of CCTV streams and system status alerts allowed central teams to react immediately to safety concerns. The ability to monitor tram interiors in real time improved oversight, helping ensure rapid response in the event of incidents or emergencies.
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Reduced Maintenance Costs
The remote access architecture eliminated the need for frequent site visits or manual inspections. Technicians could assess and troubleshoot issues directly from the control center, saving labor hours and reducing the operational costs associated with field diagnostics.
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High Reliability in Harsh Conditions
With ruggedized hardware designed for extreme temperatures and network redundancy through dual SIMs, the Robustel solution maintained consistent uptime even in challenging operating environments. This reliability ensured uninterrupted service delivery and passenger trust.
Focus Product - Robustel R3000 Router
The Robustel Industrial Dual SIM Cellular VPN Router R3000 is a rugged cellular router designed to provide state-of-the-art mobile connectivity for machine-to-machine (M2M) applications.
The R3000 is widely utilized in industrial sectors such as pipeline monitoring, water treatment, gas and electricity distribution networks, and other similar environments where a durable product with reliable cellular communications is essential.
It features extensive overvoltage protection, high electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) immunity, and a DIN-rail/panel mount form factor, making it ideal for use in various industrial automation enclosures.
