What is IEEE 1473-L?
GROUND IEEE 1473-L is the world’s most widely used rail car network. Based upon LonWorks IEEE-1473-L is the same control network protocol used on thousands of rail cars from UK to China and from coast-to-coast in North America. LonWorks is also the AAR’s S-4200 train network standard for next generation Electronically Controlled Pneumatic Brakes. (See also: where used) CONFORMANCE TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS LonWorks became an IEEE standard in 1999 after becoming an ANSI/EIA standard under EIA 709.1. The availability of an Open Reference Implementation now allows anyone to port the protocol at no cost to any microprocessor. (Note: Prior to 1999 LonWorks was considered a proprietary protocol.) Today, most agree that LonWorks is an open protocol. OPEN SYSTEMS IEEE-1473-L based systems that conform to LonMark Guidelines, by definition, have fully open interfaces. Open interfaces are important to transit operators because rail cars may be expected to last 30-40 years. When spares are needed but
