Cargo tracking and telematics
Cargo tracking in rail applies Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) localisation, sensor arrays, and cellular data transmission to freight wagons, enabling operators to monitor wagon position, load status, and mechanical condition across the network.
A freight wagon telematics unit typically integrates a GNSS receiver for position determination, a cellular modem for data transmission, an accelerometer for shock and vibration detection, and a microcontroller managing power and data logging.
Telematics hardware on the wagon
Additional sensors vary by application: door or hatch sensors confirm whether a wagon is loaded or empty and whether it has been opened in transit; temperature probes monitor perishable or pharmaceutical loads; strain gauges or load cells report gross weight.
Units are self-powered by lithium primary cells, with battery life ranging from two to seven years depending on transmission frequency and the number of active sensors. The unit is typically bolted to the wagon frame or underframe and requires no connection to the wagon’s own electrical system.
Data types and transmission
Position updates are transmitted at intervals ranging from minutes in active service to several hours during extended siding dwell, conserving battery capacity. Shock events above a configurable threshold trigger immediate transmission. Data is routed via cellular networks — primarily 4G LTE with 2G fallback for areas of limited coverage — to cloud platforms that aggregate and normalise data across multi-owner wagon pools.
The TAF TSI — Technical Specification for Interoperability relating to the Telematics Applications for Freight subsystem, Commission Regulation (EU) No 1305/2014 — defines the message formats and data exchange protocols that railway undertakings must use for interoperable wagon tracking across borders.
Interoperability and standards
This regulation was repealed and replaced by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/253 (TEL TSI) of 6 February 2026, which consolidates freight and passenger telematics requirements in a single instrument. A position update or status message generated by a wagon running in Germany must be readable by the receiving railway undertaking in Poland without bilateral data conversion agreements.
TAF TSI messages cover pre-departure notification, estimated time of arrival, and wagon position or status reporting. Safety-related communication on board rail vehicles, including any telematics function that interfaces with braking or door systems, is subject to EN 50159.
Battery life and maintenance constraints
The self-powered architecture makes telematics units maintenance-free over the battery service life. Battery replacement typically coincides with scheduled wagon maintenance at workshop intervals.
Freight wagons spend substantial periods stationary in sidings or marshalling yards — a practical advantage for battery-powered units, as dwell periods reduce transmission demand compared with continuously moving rail vehicles.