zyxel make home and industrial routers, the home one I used to have was a piece of crap, had to reboot it to reset port forwarding every day, otherwise the ports would just close up and it couldn't be accessed from a browser on the LAN. I was more than happy when my isp replaced those.
Are you near a university or something. I've heard of people extending wireless but a mile. That's massive...lol
A mile range is possible if that particlular zyxel model is a high powered wireless ap/router and is connected to an 18dbi directional panel antenna. You can detect/receive a signal but if you are simply using built in wifi, having a stable connection would be unlikely. Ubiquiti is another brand that manufactures high powered and long range WISPs/APs and routers. I have used several of their products for networking 2 buildings that are close to 1000 meters apart but you need long range antennas on both sites.
They probably have wireless APs linked by repeaters using one ssid (zyxel 250), a series of repeaters will create a wifi corridor, perhaps that is why the range/coverage is wide. Why it's not on all the time beats me but there are factors that can diminish the strength of the signal, such as line of sight and even trees and leaves... or maybe it's on but you just can't receive it at certain times or they turn it on for a specific task that is on a schedule. They may have ip cameras that they use on weekends to routinely inspect the tracks... the options are unlimited. But frankly, there are better brands than zyxel.
Found the answer EnterpriseIntel helps Union Pacific sense, predict, and act on problems before they occur with wireless sensor technology Challenges • Create a Predictive Enterprise. Use technology to develop an enhanced approach to safety and efficiency.• Improve safety. Prevent derailments by providing real-time monitoring of train cars and rail conditions.• Increase efficiency. Ensure operational efficiency by increasing the train network capacity without increasing expenditures. Solution • Wireless sensor network proof of concept. Intel worked with Union Pacific to construct a wireless sensor network that could continuously capture and analyze a wide range of data from trains moving along the track. Impact • Enhanced safety. A wireless sensor network can help improve safety by anticipating problems before they occur.• Greater network capacity. By preventing unscheduled work events, the company can ultimately increase the capacity of networks.• Improved business efficiency. Union Pacific can use IT to automate processes in order to reduce costs and improve business efficiency. In business for almost 150 years, Union Pacific Railroad has never been content to rely on its impressive track record to sustain the company’s success. Today’s Union Pacific is dedicated to using cutting-edge technology for improving safety and enhancing business efficiency. The company worked with Intel to evaluate the use of wireless sensor technology for providing more and better information about trains and track conditions. The project was a prime example of Union Pacific’s efforts to become a Predictive Enterprise, in which technology enhances business agility, maximizes return on investments, and delivers a competitive edge. Safety and Efficiency Are Top Priorities Today’s Union Pacific is a thoroughly modern operation that embraces IT. “We use information technology across our entire business for a wide range of purposes, from controlling the flow of trains across the network to interacting with our customers,” says Lynden Tennison, senior vice president of Information Technologies and chief information officer at Union Pacific. “Technology permeates the entire fabric of Union Pacific. Without it, we would grind to a halt.” “Our vision is to use IT to enhance our THE LARGEST RAILROAD IN THE U.S. USES WIRELESS BROADBAND TO INCREASE SWITCHING YARD PRODUCTIVITY UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD IS TURNING TO MOTOROLA’S CANOPYTM WIRELESS BROADBAND PLATFORM TO HELP ENHANCE ITS YARD OPERATIONS IN 23 STATES