As part of Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel Project, CRRC Changchun Australia Rail needed to equip 65 High Capacity Metro Trains (HCMT), consisting of 455 cars, with an advanced Train Control and Management System (TCMS) that could seamlessly integrate with the newly implemented High Capacity Signalling (HCS). This was a complex undertaking, as HCS—based on Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC)—was being introduced for the first time on an existing rail network in Australia. The system needed to ensure safe and efficient communication between centralised control centres and the HCMT fleet while maintaining interoperability with conventional signalling on other parts of the network.

In addition to managing HCS integration, the TCMS had to support critical onboard functions, including Selective Door Control (SDC) to prevent unsafe door openings outside platform areas and a real-time Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) streaming system for enhanced passenger safety. The challenge was to develop a fully redundant, Ethernet-based Train Communication Network (TCN) that could handle these functionalities reliably, ensuring smooth operations across a highly dynamic and evolving rail infrastructure.