Rail supplier news covers three developments: a multiyear ITCS upgrade for Fortescue, Belgian authorization for Stadler’s EURO6000 and an ETCS L2 expansion by Hitachi Rail in Australia.

Fortescue iron ore train in Western Australia
Archive photo of a Fortescue iron ore train in the Pilbara, Western Australia. Photo: Geez-oz; crop: Pechristener / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Rail supplier news: Fortescue ITCS upgrade

KB Signaling Inc. has begun ⁠modernizing the Incremental Train Control System (ITCS) used to manage traffic on Fortescue’s heavy-haul iron ore railway in Western Australia. The work is scheduled to continue until mid-2027.

The company will update wayside service equipment operating on its existing ElectroLogIXS platform. KB Signaling says this will allow Fortescue to implement route and destination upgrades without stopping trains while introducing real-time monitoring across hundreds of kilometers of remote desert track.

Since its deployment in the early 2010s, ITCS has controlled train separation, enforced speed limits and enabled high-frequency ore movements between Fortescue’s mines and Port Hedland for export. The contract also covers the deployment of several new KB Signaling technologies for evaluation on the Fortescue network.

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Stadler EURO6000 authorized in Belgium

Belgium has ⁠authorized Stadler’s EURO6000 electric locomotive for operation. Luxembourg granted approval in late 2025, while the locomotive is already operating international freight services linking France and Spain.

The six-axle, multisystem locomotive has a power output of 6 MW and can haul freight trains weighing more than 2,200 tons while maintaining commercial speeds.

Captrain Stadler EURO6000 electric locomotive
Archive photo of a Captrain Stadler EURO6000 electric locomotive. Photo: Nelso Silva / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

Stadler’s Spain Division Executive Vice President Inigo Parra said:

“Designed for seamless international operations, the EURO6000 now enables uninterrupted freight flows between Barcelona and Antwerp — a vital axis of the Trans-European Transport Network,”

Hitachi Rail expands ETCS Level 2 deployment

Hitachi Rail will ⁠expand its European Train Control System Level 2 deployment to the section of the Gold Coast Line between Kuraby and Beenleigh stations. The work is the final stage of a broader signal digitalization project covering nearly 125 miles of the South East Queensland passenger-rail network.

ETCS L2 has already been installed on Brisbane’s north-side Shorncliffe line, enabling system testing and training for Queensland Rail employees. Construction and installation are also progressing south of Brisbane between Beenleigh and Varsity Lakes.

Hitachi Rail stated that digital signaling will be essential for providing frequent, reliable and sustainable rail services as South East Queensland prepares for growth and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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