Smart Railways: Pioneering Tomorrow's Transit – Efficient, Connected, and Sustainable

Indian Railways is accelerating its digital transformation to become smarter, enhance its operational efficiencies, and deliver an unparalleled experience to passengers.

Smart Railways harness the integration of advanced technologies to create a more intelligent, connected, and data-driven rail network with the goal to provide a more convenient and sustainable travel experience for passengers.

Check out this infographic showcasing Hitachi Rail India’s pioneering efforts to empower Indian Railways to move into the future and usher smarter journeys:

What Makes
Railways Smart:
Key Features &
Components

• Digital Signaling & Train Control

  Advanced signaling for safety and traffic optimization.

  

• IoT Monitoring

  Sensors gather data on tracks, equipment, and passengers.

  

• Predictive Maintenance

  Data analytics prevents equipment failures.

  

• Smart Ticketing

  RFID, apps, and contactless for seamless travel.

  

• Automated Trains

  Automation tech for efficient and error-free operations.

  

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  Real-time Updates

  Apps keep passengers informed instantly.

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  Secure Surveillance

  CCTV, facial recognition for safety measures.

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  Data-Driven Optimization

  Big data enhances scheduling and resources.

• 

  Green Tech

  Energy-efficient, regenerative braking, and renewables.

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  Intermodal Connectivity

  Seamless integration with buses, trams, and metros.

Transforming Tracks into a Smart Network: Pioneering Innovation for Ghaziabad-Aligarh Section

One of the most significant rail arteries in India is the Ghaziabad-Aligarh segment, which is an essential component of the New Delhi-Howrah line. Due to serious capacity issues, Indian Railways decided to collaborate with Hitachi Rail India to build a rail network that is affordable, sustainable, and friendly to the environment.

Challenges

• During peak hours, a bottleneck caused by high train traffic and a lack of tracks and platforms causes delays and inconveniences for passengers.
• Conventional approaches, such as building new tracks, are impractical because of time, money, and environmental issues.

Innovative Solution: Bidirectional Automatic Signaling

• Hitachi Rail India partnered to implement a groundbreaking solution – bidirectional automatic signaling.
• The unidirectional track is transformed into a bidirectional system, with special block reversal procedures and dynamic adjustments in the Direction of Traffic (DoT) based on scheduling needs to ensure safety.
• For example, when a train needs to change direction, the control centre reverses the direction of traffic within the relevant blocks. This ensures that trains can safely travel in the opposite direction without conflicting with other trains on the track.

Advancing Sustainable Mobility

• Efficiency: Streamlined traffic flow during specified times, eliminating bottlenecks.
• Cost-Effective: Avoidance of costly track construction, reducing financial burden.
• Environmental Impact: Minimized carbon emissions by avoiding land acquisition and excavation.
• Continuous Operations: Uninterrupted train movement with improved handover and takeover processes.
• Sustainability: Promoting a greener and more sustainable rail network for the future.

Project Highlights

Powering Safer Journeys

• Hitachi Rail - Perpetuum’s sensors have been installed on Indian Railways 100 LHB Smart Coaches.
• Sensors monitor wheel, bearing, ride and track, covering 8600km route length.
• The system combines artificial intelligence and analytical tools to detect onboard faults or vibrations enabling high reliability, reduced maintenance, and increased availability of rolling stock.

• Enhanced Safety & Reliability: Predictive nature of On-board Condition Monitoring System (OBCMS) prevents accidents by providing early warnings for wheel flats, bearing failures, and track deterioration.
• Cost Efficiency: Extended overhaul periodicity, cheaper interventions with early warnings, reduced in-service breakdown costs, and minimized downtime.
• Optimized Asset Utilization: Advanced condition information allows for efficient planning, minimizing disruption, and increasing time-in-service.

Shaping the Future of Mobility

Hitachi Rail, a fully integrated, global provider of rail solutions, delivers every aspect of railway solutions for customers – from manufacturing trains, delivering signalling infrastructure to ticketing, maintenance and operations of entire railways.

Rolling Stock

Digital Signalling and Systems

Smart Mobility

Turnkey

Service and Maintenance