Ensuring Reliable Train-to-Ground Connectivity in Metro Málaga

How Actren modernised onboard communications with long-term-ready networking

Modern metro systems place increasing demands on onboard communications. From condition monitoring and CCTV to passenger information and remote diagnostics, reliable and secure train-to-ground connectivity is critical, especially when trains are already in service and maintenance windows are short.

In Metro Málaga, Spanish engineering company Actren faced exactly this challenge when adapting new rolling stock to an existing and ageing metro infrastructure. By selecting a flexible, long-lifecycle networking solution from Westermo, Actren was able to bridge the gap between old and new systems, ensuring always-on connectivity with minimal disruption to daily operations.

The challenge: Long-lived trains require flexible, long-term networking

In rail, trains are designed to remain in service for decades, while communication technologies evolve much faster. For Actren, this mismatch was at the core of the challenge in Metro Málaga.
“When a train is designed, the engineering work often starts five or six years before it enters service,” says Germán Corcho Garcia, Engineer at Actren. “But once the train is delivered, its onboard systems must keep working for many years. Communication equipment usually has a much shorter lifecycle.”

In Metro Málaga, Actren was working with new trains where the onboard architecture and communication setup were already defined and difficult to change. The task was not to redesign the train, but to find a router flexible enough to support an existing and very specific configuration.

“The difficulty was adapting the communication system to the train, not the other way around,” Germán explains. “With many other solutions, the configurations are very closed. With Westermo, the flexibility makes it possible to adapt new technology to older systems.”

This is where product lifecycle became critical.

“The advantage of Westermo is the long product lifecycle. With around 15 years of availability, it fits much better with the lifetime of a train,” Garcia says. “It also gives us the confidence that the solution will remain supported throughout the entire operation phase.”

A critical router at the heart of the system

In Metro Málaga, Westermo routers were installed onboard the trains to act as a secure and resilient bridge between train systems and the control centre.

The router handles communications for several critical functions, including:

• Transmission of public address messages from the control centre to the train in emergency situations
• Secure transmission of train control and diagnostic data from the Tr
• ain Communication Network
• Transfer of CCTV footage and monitoring data to central maintenance systems

While bandwidth was not the primary concern, uptime was.

“The most critical point is that the system is always working,” Germán says. “We need to know that we are connected to the train at all times. High availability is more important than high data rates.”
Despite challenging mobile network conditions in Málaga, the solution has performed reliably in daily operation.

“Even with a reused antenna and poor coverage from the local operator, the system works very well,” Germán adds.

Diego Fernandez Herrero, Project Manager for Metro Málaga at Sermanfer, uses the data sent by the Westermo routers every day. He explained that the connection gives the team access to data from every onboard sensor, helping them monitor each train’s current condition and plan maintenance more effectively. 

Diego Fernandez Herrero, Project Manager for Metro Málaga at Sermanfer monitors the trains and plans for maintenance using the data that is send from the routers onboard the train.

Proactive maintenance driven by real-time data

The data transmitted by Westermo routers also enables a more proactive maintenance approach at Sermanfer’s Málaga workshop.

By combining real-time train data with advanced analytics, the team can optimise fleet management, improve availability, and reduce reliability-related incidents.

A key tool supporting this work is Leadmind, which allows technical analysts to detect potential issues before failures occur and intervene without disrupting service. This reduces both the number and severity of incidents.

All maintenance activities are handled in-house at the Málaga workshop, providing the flexibility and responsiveness required. Supported by experienced staff and continuous training, Sermanfer ensures a consistently high level of service.

About Leadmind

Leadmind is an analytics platform that processes data from across the fleet, analysing more than 10,000 variables with high precision over time.
It enables detailed investigation of incidents, identification of hidden faults, and validation of corrective actions, while allowing technicians to build and reuse knowledge over time.

Fast deployment with real-world constraints

Installing new equipment in trains that are already in service comes with unique challenges. Unlike factory-built trains, maintenance teams often only have one or two hours to work on a vehicle before it must return to operation.

“We don’t have the luxury of long installation windows,” Germán explains. “If you don’t solve the problem within that time, the train has to go back into service.”
To minimise risk, Actren and Westermo first developed and tested a prototype installation at Actren’s facility in Málaga. Once validated, the solution was rolled out to the trains, with the first installation up and running within a single day.

Diego Fernandez Herrero, Project Manager for Metro Málaga at Sermanfer, said that once the first train was completed, installing the remaining six trains took just one week.

Today, seven trains in Metro Málaga are equipped with the solution, which has been operating for around six months without issues.

The Westermo routers are installed in the driver’s cabin

Beyond the technology itself, local technical support played a crucial role in the project’s success.

“We always look for suppliers with strong local support,” says Germán. “We are not data network experts. When challenges arise, especially related to cybersecurity or mobile connectivity, we need fast access to the right expertise.”

This proved vital during early troubleshooting, when a connectivity issue was initially suspected to be a router fault but was ultimately traced to a SIM card problem.

“Having people nearby who could react immediately made all the difference,” Gérman notes. “Price is not the critical point for us. Fast and competent support is.”

About Sermanfer
Since July 2014, when Metro Málaga began service, Sermanfer has been responsible for the full maintenance trains, which includes both short- and long-term preventive maintenance, including overhauls as well as corrective maintenance and the upkeep of workshop equipment and facilities. The high demand and stringent service requirements, due to the popularity of this mode of transportation among Málaga residents, mean that a high level of vehicle availability is essential; consequently, all maintenance work must be performed in accordance with defined quality, safety, and timeline standards.