Join the 155,000+ IMP followers

Case studies

railway-international.com

USB-C Power Delivery System for Railway Driver Cabs

LÜTZE TRANSPORTATION introduces a 60 W USB-C charging system for diesel and electric rail vehicles.

  www.luetze.com
USB-C Power Delivery System for Railway Driver Cabs

Industry Sector: Railway technology and transportation infrastructure.
Application Area: Rolling stock power supply and driver cab electronics.
 
LÜTZE TRANSPORTATION has introduced a 60 W charging system featuring Power Delivery 3.2 technology, designed specifically for railway driver's cabs and compact control cabinets. The hardware consists of a DC/DC converter and a USB-C charging cable, enabling the efficient powering of data-intensive laptops and tablets used for route mapping, timetables, and telemetry.

Electrical Specifications and Power Delivery
The DC/DC converter operates across a wide input voltage range from 24 V to 110 V DC, allowing deployment in both diesel and electric rail vehicles. The system utilizes Power Delivery (PD) 3.2 protocols to negotiate optimal charging rates without degrading device batteries. It provides fixed PD outputs between 5 V and 20 V at a maximum of 5 A. In Programmable Power Supply (PPS) mode, the hardware delivers 5 V to 11 V at up to 5 A, and 5 V to 21 V at up to 3 A. Additionally, the Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS) profile supports device regulation between 9 V and 20 V at 3 A. Integrated safety mechanisms include reverse polarity and overvoltage protection on the input side, alongside short-circuit and overload protection on the output.

Retrofitting and Form Factor Compliance
Engineered for rapid drop-in replacement, the new 60 W converter and charging cable are dimensionally compatible with LÜTZE's legacy dual-port USB-A systems. Operators can upgrade existing rolling stock without modifying the input wiring or allocating additional control cabinet space. The converter mounts directly onto standard TS35-15 or TS35-7.5 DIN rails. The USB-C port is rated for up to 10,000 insertion cycles, and the system operates continuously in environments ranging from -40 °C to +70 °C. The hardware complies with stringent railway standards, including EN 50155, EN 50121-3-2, EN 61373, EN 45545-2 (fire protection), and EMC Standard 06 of the German Federal Railway Authority (EBA).

Additional Context: This section details technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original product announcement
In railway engineering, EN 50155 is the overarching regulatory standard for electronic equipment utilized on rolling stock, demanding extreme tolerance to temperature fluctuations, humidity, shock, and vibration. The wide input range of 24 V to 110 V DC is operationally critical because locomotive battery voltages vary drastically across different international networks (e.g., 24 V in light rail, 72 V or 110 V in heavy freight and high-speed networks). Furthermore, the integration of USB Power Delivery 3.2 with Programmable Power Supply (PPS) allows the DC/DC converter to dynamically adjust voltage and current in granular increments. This bypasses the connected device's internal conversion stages, reducing the thermal load on the tablet or laptop battery. While standard industrial power supplies from manufacturers like Phoenix Contact and MEAN WELL offer similar DIN-rail PD capabilities, this specific modular, rail-certified drop-in form factor provides a niche operational advantage for accelerating fleet retrofit programs.

Edited by Lekshman Ramdas, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.luetze.com

  Ask For More Information…

LinkedIn
Pinterest

Join the 155,000+ IMP followers