Major milestone in Germany for Hitachi’s digital interlocking

Hitachi Rail has successfully tested the capabilities of its digital interlocking product to Deutsche Barn and the German Federal Railway Authority

The series of functional and operational tests which demonstrated Hitachi Rail’s ability to adjust its interlocking product to meet German standards and specifications were carried out at Hitachi’s lab in Munich. The successful tests mean that the technology can now be used to support Deutsche Barn in the digitisation and improvement of the German rail network.

As one of the worlds largest signalling providers, the confirmation that Hitachi Rail’s interlocking technology is compatible with German Standard Communication Interfaces (SCI) which interacts between the interlocking and operations control centre, is a major step forward and means that they are now able to enter the German interlocking market.

Hitachi Rail can now work alongside Deutsche Bahn in its bid to modernise signalling equipment for the entire network using Digital Interlocking and ETCS, a project that will take the next 20 years as part of the Digitale Schiene Deutschland or Digital Rail Germany programme and marks a landmark event for Germany’s Fast Track Programme or Schnellläuferprogramm (SLP).

The Fast Track Programme aims to provide new digital solutions to the market in a short time scale by simplifying processes and encouraging close collaboration between supplier and operator right through the project.

Hitachi Rail will be expressly responsible for the renewal and upgrade of the signalling for the Gera-Weischlitz line in Saxony which includes seven stations over 60km of singletrack.

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Frank Gülicher, Head of Digital Planning and Construction of Infrastructure Projects (Deutsche Bahn AG) and Head of Digital Signalling and ETCS Project Portfolio (DB Netz AG) said: “With the SLP, we want to achieve a market expansion with higher capacities and to gather valuable knowledge for the rollout of ‘Digitale Schiene Deutschland’. With Hitachi Rail we have found a new partner for our programme to digitalize the German railway network. We are looking forward to a successful cooperation.”

The digital interlocking systems are integral to the eventual digitalisation of rail transport and fitting the very latest interlocking technology on the SLP Gera-Weischlitz line, will allow Hitachi Rail’s team in Germany to support its client by improving operational efficiency and reliability by cutting disruption and delays for passengers and freight whilst maintaining the extremely high level of safety standards and availability at Deutsche Bahn.

Alessandro De Grazia – Managing Director Hitachi Rail STS Germany, Head of DACH Region (Sales & Projects), said: “The achievement of this important milestone on the SLP Project Gera – Weischlitz line underlines the strong commitment of Hitachi Rail to play a wider role in the DSD programme and support DB as a trusted technology partner,”