Episode description

Compared to the automotive and aviation industries, railways can seem rather antiquated. But trains are actually vitally important for modern digital infrastructure.

Rail systems can provide high-speed Internet connectivity to rural areas. They can help cut carbon emissions. And they can provide a surprising array of services to local communities.

Take the Marsden train station in West Yorkshire as an example. When an impending disaster was expected to hit this area, companies like Cisco and Network Rail Telecom (NRT) teamed up to leverage government-owned fiber running through the station and third-party radios to provide communications and connectivity to the community. The UK National Health Service was then able to set up telehealth pods for remote consultations, testing, and diagnosis. And that’s only one way rail technology is used for the greater good. 

In this podcast, we examine all the opportunities rail technology offers, smart rail benefits for both employees and passengers, and ongoing collaborations to improve rail operations and management.

Join us as we explore these ideas with:
Greg Butler, Industry Lead for Rail for Cisco
Simon Atterwell, Managing Director of Network Rail Telecom
Kenton Williston, Editor-in-Chief for insight.tech

Greg and Simon answer our questions about:

• Biggest transformations in the rail industry
• How technology can meet new demands
• Importance of agile development and collaboration
• Rail technology benefits for both passengers and staff
• Smart rail possibilities from working with partners
• Using rail technology to reach carbon-neutral goals
• What global peers can learn from NRT and Cisco

For the latest innovations from Cisco and NRT, follow them on Twitter at @Cisco and @NetworkRail, and on LinkedIn at Cisco and Network-Rail.