The ICE
High-speed rail networks are being built and expanded everywhere,
the aim being 300 to 350 km/h (185 to 220 mph) in the near future. As a member of the
Wheel/Rail Research Project funded by the German Ministry of Technology, Knorr-Bremse was
responsible for developing the braking system for the ICE high-speed train.
The microprocessor control system operates over a fibre-optic train
bus to provide precise coordination of three independent systems -- the regenerative
braking system, the disc brakes and the magnetic track brakes or eddy-current brakes.
It is also responsible for the automatic set-up of the train and the
subsequent brake test. The internal diagnostic system provides continuous monitoring of
all the operating functions and stores any faults or errors that might occur.
