From Digital Technology to Rail Systems: Reflections on Building Reliable, Safe Infrastructure

Hello everyone,

I’m pleased to join the EngX community and to start engaging in discussions here.

My background is in digital technology, cloud and data systems, alongside experience working in regulated, safety-critical environments, including rail and public-sector operations. Working across both digital systems and physical infrastructure has reinforced how critical reliability, safety, and clear standards are when technology moves from theory into real-world use.

I’ve been reflecting on how digital transformation, data, and systems thinking can better support large-scale infrastructure such as rail — particularly around system resilience, operational visibility, and risk reduction.

I’m keen to learn from practitioners with hands-on experience in rail, power, and infrastructure engineering, and to contribute where digital perspectives may add value.

For those working in infrastructure or rail systems:

  • What lessons have you learned when integrating digital technologies into long-life, safety-critical assets?
  • What advice would you give professionals aiming to bridge digital technology and traditional engineering disciplines effectively?

I look forward to learning from the community and contributing to future discussions.

Kind regards,

Mayor

Parents
  • The need for digital has been around on the railway for a long time.
    The most interesting aspects of it are when we transitioned from mechanical interlockings to relays (1930?).
    Another digital system is the TOPS that was originally developed between the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP), Stanford University and IBM as a replacement for paper-based systems for managing rail logistics (1960).

Reply
  • The need for digital has been around on the railway for a long time.
    The most interesting aspects of it are when we transitioned from mechanical interlockings to relays (1930?).
    Another digital system is the TOPS that was originally developed between the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP), Stanford University and IBM as a replacement for paper-based systems for managing rail logistics (1960).

Children
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