Ten months after completing its $690 million purchase of Alstom Signaling North America’s conventional product portfolio, Knorr-Bremse North American subsidiary KB Signaling has introduced the IXC-R20™ Integrated Crossing Control Module, described as “the rail industry’s first redundant solid-state crossing controller.”
The IXC-R20,™ the newest offering in KB Signaling’s ElectroLogIXS™ platform, is engineered as a direct replacement for the outgoing IXC-20S™ module portfolio, “offering backward compatibility alongside new capabilities,” with “streamlined maintenance, greater resilience, and improved data access, without the need to replace existing systems,” the company said. “designed to maintain safe operations, reduce emergency service calls and help railroad maintainers meet regulatory requirements, its introduction supports KB Signaling’s broader strategy of delivering technology that adapts to evolving needs while preserving the investments customers have already made in proven systems.”
“At the core of the IXC-R20 module is its high-availability design: a fully solid-state configuration supporting redundant operation,” KB Signaling noted. “The module can be paired in active/standby mode, automatically transferring control to the standby unit in the event of a fault. That failover process occurs without user intervention, maintaining full crossing functionality while minimizing disruption. The IXC-R20 module also addresses a critical operational challenge: meeting federal maintenance requirements efficiently. With Federal Railroad Administration rules mandating 30-day inspections at active crossings, the module includes a one-touch automated test feature that triggers a full crossing activation sequence and simultaneously records all operational metrics.”
The IXC-R20 module is fully compatible with the existing ElectroLogIXS™ XP4 platform and “supports direct, plug-and-play replacement of the IXC-20S,” KB Signaling noted. “No rewiring or application reprogramming is required. Customers can retain their existing personality modules and software configurations, helping streamline deployment and validation. The module also eliminates the need for a previously required external interface panel, reducing space and complexity inside the equipment bungalow. This update helps reduce system cost and improve enclosure layout, particularly for customers upgrading legacy installations. Each module supports multiple gate, lamp and bell outputs, with up to four IXC-R20s installable per chassis, delivering up to 80 amps of lamp drive capability and up to 16 gate positions across entrance and exit paths.”
Although not required in North America, the IXC-R20 “is on track to receive Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL 4) certification by the end of 2025,” KB Signaling added. “This globally recognized benchmark is increasingly included in American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) guidelines and supports the module’s readiness for international deployment. Final validation and testing are now under way, with general product availability targeted for Q3 2025. KB Signaling has prepared launch volumes for initial customer evaluations and continues to align the system with the evolving safety and connectivity requirements of the domestic and global rail markets.”
“These are the kinds of tools that make a real impact for the people maintaining the system,” said KB Signaling Product Manager, Highway Crossing Systems Paul Harper. “With the IXC-R20 module, they can test the entire crossing, get the data they need, and instantly walk away with a comprehensive report. Everything about it was designed to make migration easier. Whether supporting new construction or replacing aging equipment, it’s a solution built to meet railroads where they are.”
“This is the first solid-state redundant crossing controller in the industry,” said Director of Products Aric Weingartner. “That redundancy changes the conversation for a lot of railroads, especially those that have continued to use interface relays because of system availability and reliability concerns. This architecture is already drawing attention from Class I railroads that had not previously adopted solid-state crossing controllers. With electromechanical relay systems becoming more difficult and expensive to maintain, the IXC-R20combines enhanced reliability with reduced long-term cost. And, certification is just one part of the picture. What really matters is the everyday performance: uptime, ease of use, and ability to make more informed decisions with better data. That’s what the IXC-R20 module delivers.”
“Troubleshooting crossings has often required guesswork or time-consuming simulations,” said J Product Solutions Engineer Johnathan Arends. “Now we have exponentially more information for every train move: speeds, states, activation data. If something fails, we can pinpoint the cause far faster and more accurately.”
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