Hitachi Rail supports Sup Ferro in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, expanding its role in railway training and innovation through a Ferrocampus-based centre focused on training, innovation and experimentation in the railway sector.

Sup Ferro gains Hitachi Rail support in France
Sup Ferro gains Hitachi Rail support in France

The commitment was announced during the inauguration of Sup Ferro⁠, which was presented as France’s first national railway engineering school. Under the partnership, Hitachi Rail will provide expertise, resources and equipment to help develop skills in fields considered important for the future of rail transport.

Its contribution will cover artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, predictive maintenance and systems engineering. Hitachi Rail will also host trainees, provide equipment and involve its teams in events held within the Ferrocampus framework.

How Hitachi Rail supports Sup Ferro?

Sup Ferro operates within Ferrocampus, a French centre created to strengthen railway skills and test solutions for the sector. The initiative is designed to bring training closer to industry needs and give students and professionals access to practical cases that reflect the work of operators and suppliers.

Hitachi Rail says its support for Sup Ferro marks a further step in its commitment to local skills development and the digital transformation of rail in France.

Christophe Jeanney, CEO of Hitachi Rail in France, said:

“We are deepening our commitment to Ferrocampus by participating in the future partnership with Sup Ferro. By sharing our technologies and expertise, we will contribute to training the talents that will shape the railways of tomorrow. Developing local skills will be essential to achieving our decarbonisation objectives and supporting sustainable, reliable and connected mobility in France and Europe,”

Digitalisation and railway safety projects

Hitachi Rail has worked on several Ferrocampus-related projects since 2020. STARC is one of them, focusing on real-time monitoring of road signals and barriers, as well as obstacle detection at level crossings. A STARC module was installed in April at the Grand Port Maritime of La Rochelle.

The company is also involved in TELLi, an innovative low-carbon light rail transport system. For this project, Hitachi Rail gathers and processes data from cameras, radars, lidar sensors and satellite positioning systems. The data is made available to academic and industrial users through Ferrocampus.

Another initiative is NS2F⁠, a new low-cost railway signalling system backed by the French state and ADEME through the France Relance 2030 programme. Its aim is to support the revitalisation of local lines with technical and economic solutions adapted to their needs.

NS2F demonstration planned

Ferrocampus is preparing a major demonstration linked to the NS2F project. Jacky Emon, President of Ferrocampus, said the next important step is expected on June 16, when the first world demonstration of the NS2F “frugal” signalling solution is due to take place.

Jacky Emon said:

“I am delighted to bring together the French railway ecosystem and strengthen the collaboration with Hitachi Rail around strategic innovations, in particular through skills transfer and training. Our next stage will be on June 16, with the first world demonstration of our frugal signaling solution, NS2F,”

Through these projects, Hitachi Rail says it aims to provide customers with simpler and more reliable solutions while helping improve the safety and resilience of the rail network.

Nouvelle-Aquitaine focuses on railway skills

Regional authorities view Sup Ferro as a way to reinforce the railway sector in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and support sustainable daily mobility, especially on local and regional lines.

Alain Rousset, President of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council, said:

“With Sup Ferro, we are taking a decisive step towards building a high-quality railway sector in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, dedicated to sustainable daily mobility. By bringing together training, innovation and industry, we are fostering the emergence of more efficient, agile and cost-effective solutions, particularly for local and regional lines. It is an essential lever for ensuring the future of these lines and for making rail transport more accessible, more efficient and economically viable for all our territories”