ICS & Hitachi Rail: Trust in railroad technology

Success Story: 60 years of ICS & Hitachi Rail -
Continuity, competence and joint responsibility
responsibility for rail safety

1. the beginning of a partnership with vision

• 1980s: Takeover of SEL by Alcatel
• Later: Integration of the Alcatel rail technology division into Thales
• Since 2025: Takeover by Hitachi Rail - today operating as Hitachi Rail GTS Deutschland GmbH

Despite changing names and structures, one thing remained constant: the collaboration with ICS  - for decades with the same teams, contacts and values. Structures and processes were adopted 1:1 in every transition phase and continuously further developed. A rare degree of continuity and trust.

2. diverse projects - a shared promise of quality

Interlocking systems

ICS GmbH accompanies complete interlocking systems - including interlocking core, operating unit, field element control and track vacancy detection system. Particular attention is paid to the
interaction of the subsystems: Not only must each individual component be safe, but their interaction must also be documented in the safety certificate.

Axle counter systems

For over 20 years, ICS has focused its expertise on the safety management of track vacancy detection systems, which are implemented using axle counters. These systems are safety-relevant components of track safety - they must not count incorrectly under any circumstances. ICS is involved in all safety verifications in accordance with EN 50126 and 50129 - from the first prototype to redesigns (e.g. due to component obsolescence) through to approval.

Field element control

ICS takes on the validation and quality assurance of hardware control for signal lights, points and level crossings. This involves digital signals, parallel interfaces, energy-efficient control units (e.g. LEDs instead of light bulbs) and new requirements such as decentralized installation directly on the signal mast - instead of miles of cabling to the signal box.

Track safety certificates

From the 2000s onwards, safety considerations were expanded: No longer just systems, but entire routes were assessed for safety. ICS developed in-depth specialist
knowledge - from data-based route modeling to the consideration of topographical, climatic, operational
topographical, climatic, operational and country-specific features.

• Example Finland: ICS provided the very first route safety assessment for a route in Finland - the line in Finland - the Helsinki ring line.
• Example Norway: Since 2012, 14 lines have been modernized with Hitachi technology
  - every safety certificate comes from ICS.

Vital21 project

Between 2006 and 2013, ICS developed a completely in-house, secure data transmission system for the railroads - including software development, safety architecture, verification, validation, safety management, assessment and user training. A unique project in which ICS covered the entire life cycle under its own responsibility.

3. working together - well-rehearsed, efficient,
trusting

The cooperation between ICS and Hitachi Rail is not a classic supplier relationship, but a well-established, technically deeply integrated symbiosis:

• Joint teams since 2004, with an almost unchanged workforce.
• ICS knows systems, histories, documentation and development steps like hardly any other partner.
• For every product enhancement - from new features to hardware
  hardware adaptations - ICS is involved in an agile, precise and independent manner.
• ICS is primarily responsible for verification and validation (V&V) as well as security management. These tasks must be separated from development in terms of
  separated from development. The ICS teams ensure that every requirement is
  requirement is comprehensibly tested and documented - with tools such as DOORS,
  Rectify and complex traceability structures.

4. security for the market - setting standards together

The results of this unique cooperation are visible - in the safety of European rail traffic:

• Zero safety-related incidents on routes secured by ICS
• More efficient safety verifications thanks to complete tool and system knowledge
• Rapid approvals in the international environment thanks to cross-standard expertise
  (e.g. CENELEC ↔ IEC mapping)
• Award as construction project of the year for a jointly modernized
  railroad line in Norway
  
  

5 Conclusion & outlook: Two experts - one responsibility

The long-standing partnership between ICS and Hitachi Rail is characterized by mutual trust, deep technical understanding and a shared mission: to make rail technology safer, more durable and more sustainable.

Both companies have built up expertise over decades, standardized processes and set new standards together. In doing so, they remain flexible and adaptable - be it when switching from ISDN to DSL, new EU standards or international projects with specific climatic and normative requirements.

Future prospects:

ICS GmbH will remain a reliable partner for Hitachi Rail in the future - especially in areas such as:

• ETCS integration & digital interlockings
• Retrofit projects for obsolete subsystems
• Safety verifications for new vehicle technology
• International projects with a complex set of standards

This partnership has made the European rail market safer - and will continue to do so in the future.

Rail technology needs more than technology - it needs trust.
If you are looking for an experienced, reliable partner for safety verification, system integration or long-term project support in the rail sector, then we should talk.

🤝 ICS - your partner for safety-critical systems that last.

Contact us - we listen, think along and secure.