Railway Solutions

Keeping You on Track

Melcher Power Converters

Under the Melcher™ brand, Bel produces high performance DC-DC and AC-DC converters for top manufacturers in the railway and transportation industry worldwide. Founded in 1973, Melcher designs and manufactures rugged products that meet stringent national and international standards for harsh environments, EMC/EMI, and safety, as well as conducts exhaustive EVT/DVT and HALT/HASS testing. 

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Power Conversion Solutions

On or off the tracks safe and reliable power is critical to railway systems. From the Melcher brand that’s been a trusted power partner, producing high performance, feature rich, sub-rack and chassis mount power converters for over 50 years, down to board level power conversion, Bel offers a wide range of rugged power solutions from 4 W to 15,000 W. 

Battery Chargers
AC-DC Converters
DC-DC Converters

Globally Compliant Rail Solutions

To support the worldwide rail industry, our products have been designed in compliance with global railway standards for rolling stock, wayside, and trackside applications, including:

  • EN-50155
  • AREMA
  • RIA12
  • STM-E 001
  • GOST
Read Technical Paper
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Applications

Power Electronics
Safety
Accessibility
Passenger Convenience
Driving Aids
Wayside

Power Electronics

Most electronic systems on a train are powered by an on-board battery, typically with a DC voltage of 110 V. This delivers a more reliable source of power that isn’t dependent on the infrastructure or on-board generation.

These batteries will typically be charged at trackside or wayside using step-down conversion, as a result the solution chosen needs to be able to deliver the power and efficiency required by all rolling stock that it services.
Pantograph
Battery Charging
Propulsion

Safety

Safety is fundamental to any rail network. Today, the safety systems in place are highly sophisticated. Not only do they need to work passively, to keep passengers safe, but they need to function actively, to alert the driver if danger is present. These systems must also form part of the solution to address that danger.

Increasingly, legislation requires these events to be recorded and analyzed, in order to prevent recurrence. Ideally, some form of preventative measures will also be in place, to avoid the dangerous condition ever taking place. Electronic systems provide these safety measures and are now commonplace in rail stock and infrastructure.
Cab Radio
Fire Safety
Train Control

Accessibility

Designing rolling stock for passengers comes with requirements to include safe ways to embark and disembark that covers all abilities. Conventional door control systems have evolved from simple mechanical latches to complex pneumatic systems and, now, an almost complete adoption of electric drive. For less able passengers it is now necessary to include wheelchair lifts that can lift weights of around 400 kg, covering heights of 1 m or more.

Other aspects of accessibility extend to automated passenger count systems, which are now used for both safety and surveyance. Similarly, ticketing systems are moving towards more complex, contactless and wireless systems.
Wheelchair Lift
Door Control
Ticket System

Passenger Convenience

Rail operators are now required to put passenger safety and convenience at the forefront of their efforts. This includes improving accessibility using moving ramps and platforms, offering barrier-free entrances and exits, and ensuring that passengers with limited mobility are not presented with challenging routes. On-board, the changes continue.

The use of passenger information displays is increasing, while our dependence on electronic devices and their need for power is also being acknowledged, through the introduction of customer power outlets. Passengers now also expect to have constant connectivity, typically through wireless access, which introduces further demands on operators. This inevitably puts pressure on the systems that provide these passenger services. Meeting this demand requires the high reliability that comes with a trusted supplier.
USB
Toilet System
Infotainment

Driving Aids

Rail stock is benefiting greatly from advances in technology. This is clear from the addition of the driver systems that are now automated or improved. This includes the addition of rear-view cameras with monitors for the driver, but more recently the introduction of forward-looking systems that are able to detect potential hazards or obstacles, before the driver has seen them.

The demand for power in the driver’s cab is increasing as more effective solutions to perennial problems are introduced. The driver’s environment is also becoming more sophisticated, as more controls are added for features to help keep the rails in optimal condition. All of these systems require dependable power supplies.
Headlights
Rearview Camera
Brakes

Wayside

Rail waysides are evolving. They no longer simply provide support for rolling stock, they are increasingly responsible for monitoring the safety of the infrastructure and stock. The introduction of ubiquitous connectivity allows wayside equipment to now be monitorable from anywhere, leading to more responsive service. But this comes with its own demands, as the equipment involved now needs to be more reliable, as it takes on more responsibility for passenger safety.

As rail systems now regularly cross-country borders, there is also some pressure to make these systems more uniform and regulated. The development of preventative maintenance, enabled by pervasive internet connectivity, is also a force for change here.
Level Crossing
Point Machine
Rail Signal
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More Than Power

Beyond power supplies, Bel offers a range of products that are essential to railway systems. These include transformers for stepping up and down lone voltages, fuses to protect critical circuits and systems, integrated connector modules (ICM's) to keep trains and passengers connected

image of large black power transformer
Transformers
Fuse from Bel 0ama series
Fuses
ICM module
ICM's
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Resources

EN 50155: The Essential Standard for Power Supply Design in Railway Applications

Technical Paper

EN 50155: The Essential Standard for Power Supply Design in Railway Applications

Power Supplies
Silvan Mueller |

9 minutes

Learn more about the EN 50155 standard, and the five areas that are crucial when designing power supplies for railway rolling applications.

Read Technical Paper
A Closer Look: LRSA Power Supply Systems for Rail Applications

Video

A Closer Look: LRSA Power Supply Systems for Rail Applications

Power Supplies

Bel Power’s LRSA series AC-DC subrack provides 1500W for railways, ensuring reliability and maintenance-free operation.

Watch Video
How to Select a DC-DC Converter for Rail Applications

Blog Post

How to Select a DC-DC Converter for Rail Applications

Power Supplies
Ron Stull |

7 minutes

Read Blog Post

Get Connected

With both standard and custom options available, our team of experts is ready to help you find the perfect rail solution. Customize your rail components with mechanical and electrical modifications, and regulatory assistance.

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Engineer hand-writing notes about power application for Melcher product development