The digital revolution is redefining the global public transport landscape. The railway sector, with its ability to transport large volumes of passengers and freight with a reduced environmental impact, is positioned as a central pillar of European decarbonization strategies. Investments in this sector today represent a concrete response to climate challenges, with railways emitting up to 80% less CO₂ than road transport.
Monitoring and automation in railway stations is part of a broader ecological transition that requires not only technological innovation, but also regulatory adjustments and international standardization. Railway digitalization also catalyzes significant economic benefits, generating new highly skilled jobs and specialized industrial sectors.
Modernizing the rail transport network: priorities
The modernization of railway infrastructure is now a strategic necessity to ensure efficient, sustainable, and competitive transport. The priorities for action primarily concern the digitalization of traffic management and control systems, a key element for optimizing the capacity of existing lines. The implementation of advanced technologies such as the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) increases train safety and frequency.
IoT solutions play a crucial role in collecting real-time data on the condition of the infrastructure through sensors distributed across tracks, switches, and power systems. These devices power predictive analytics platforms that identify potential failures before they occur, dramatically reducing downtime. Monitoring and automation in railway stations radically transform the travel experience, with real-time information systems and intelligent passenger flow management.
Energy sustainability is another crucial priority, with the electrification of lines and the optimization of consumption through braking energy recovery systems. Equally important is cross-border interoperability, essential for creating an integrated and seamless European rail network.
Video analytics, access control, and edge systems
Modern intelligent video surveillance systems are an essential component of railway safety. Cameras equipped with video analytics algorithms automatically detect anomalous situations such as abandoned objects, unauthorized track crossings, or suspicious behavior. Edge systems process this data locally, reducing latency and network load, and send alerts only when necessary.
The digital infrastructure supporting these systems must ensure reliability and resilience to operate 24/7 in often challenging environmental conditions. Biometric access control ensures that only authorized personnel can enter sensitive areas, while automatic counting systems optimize passenger flow management. Modern train stations integrate seamlessly into the smart city ecosystem, sharing mobility and transportation data with other urban systems.
Monitoring and automation in train stations also includes intelligent management of lighting, heating, and ventilation, resulting in significant energy savings. Collecting and analyzing passenger flow data allows for optimized train schedules and frequencies, reducing overcrowding and waiting times. These systems can also support health safety procedures, such as body temperature detection or social distancing monitoring in epidemic situations.
Interoperability between legacy networks and new IP systems
The coexistence of traditional railway control systems and modern IP-based networks represents a complex but essential technological challenge. Legacy infrastructures, often based on proprietary technologies and dedicated hardware, manage critical functions that cannot be interrupted during technological upgrades. The optimal approach involves implementing protocol translation gateways that act as interpreters between the different systems, enabling a gradual migration to new technologies.
Open standards such as OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) facilitate this integration by creating a common language between devices of different generations. Monitoring and automation in railway stations requires a hybrid architecture that simultaneously supports both types of systems.
Cybersecurity is particularly relevant in this context: opening up traditional closed systems to IP networks introduces new vulnerabilities that must be mitigated with industrial firewalls and intrusion detection systems specifically designed for OT (Operational Technology) environments. Virtualization allows you to emulate obsolete hardware on modern platforms, extending the lifecycle of legacy systems while gradually implementing new features. Specially developed APIs facilitate data exchange between systems of different generations, creating an integrated technology ecosystem.
