Hitachi Rail has opened its new signaling technology training center in Ditzingen, Germany, which specializes in interlocking technology – a technology that optimizes the coordination of train movements on the tracks and ensures maximum safety.
For more than 60 years, relay interlocking technology has been impressive due to its robustness and reliability. Despite the constant progress towards digitalization, relay interlockings remain an essential part of the railway infrastructure. There are currently around 250 relay interlockings in operation in Germany. The maintenance and servicing of these systems requires specific knowledge, which is secured and passed on by Hitachi Rail‘s Rail Academy.
“Even today, relay technology ensures signaling safety in around 80 percent of all interlocking systems and thus makes a significant contribution to safety in rail traffic – knowledge that is particularly important to us,” says Sebastian Dandl, Technical Trainer at the Rail Academy.
The new technology training center in Ditzingen is equipped with two relay interlockings that serve as central elements of the training: the Sp Dr L60 and the MC L84.
These courses are specifically designed to optimally prepare specialists from railway companies for the challenges of maintaining and operating this proven technology.
With the new training laboratory, the Rail Academy is taking on a key role in the transition phase between analogue and digital railway technology. While the complete digitization of the rail infrastructure will take years, the training laboratory ensures that existing relay interlockings remain reliably maintained and operational.
“This is just the beginning. We plan to further expand our range of courses to also offer training on digital interlocking systems and thus actively shape the transition to digitalization,” explains Dandl.
The choice of Ditzingen as the location for the training laboratory is strategic: its central location makes it an ideal training location for specialists from all over Germany, and the region is also an important hub for innovations in railway technology.
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