Track Access Railway Trends 2020

Our experts at Track Access have shared some key trends in the rail industry, that we’re looking forward to exploring and learning more about in 2020.
 

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​Digitalisation. Already a key trend over the last few years with the introduction of the Digital Railway Strategy, a continued focus on digitalisation has benefits throughout the industry. Providing opportunities for technology to improve everything from design and planning to infrastructure monitoring and maintenance and of course the customer experience, with railway users benefitting from increased capacity, reliability and better ticketing systems. 
 
The adoption of new technologies. An area of particular interest for us is the use of Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR). Already used extensively in some other sectors, the Rail Industry is beginning to see the true value AR/VR can bring through enhancing training sessions, replicating hands on experience, re-constructing incidents and assisting stakeholder and customer buy-in with interactive visualisations.
 
De-carbonisation. Sustainability, alternative fuels and environmental concern is high on everyone’s agenda. Rail is already low carbon and efficient at 70% electric, but there is a big push to further improve and contribute to the UK being net carbon zero by 2050, by adopting greener technologies such as electrification, hydrogen and battery cells where diesel is currently used in passenger trains.