THE digitisation of the railways has been the major topic for some time now. This was clearly evident at InnoTrans last September, where the potential for digitising the railway system was defined and presented. In 2017, this trend will surely continue as new products and smart solutions become operational. This is a positive development for the railway which should make use of state-of-the-art tools and methods.

After opening its new rail vehicle assembly plant in Britain and completing its acquisition of Finmeccanica’s rail assets in 2015, 2016 proved to be another eventful year for Hitachi’s international rail business.