Wayside: Enabling Safer, Smarter and More Connected Rail Infrastructure

We spoke with Fernando Hazeu, Vice President Signaling Europe, and Jeff Baker, Managing Director, KB Signaling, about the role of Wayside technologies, what it means to be a Rail Mobility Visioneer, and what visitors can expect at InnoTrans 2026.

What does the Solution Area “Wayside” stand for?

"With its Wayside exhibit, Knorr-Bremse reaffirms its commitment to safe and sustainable mobility all-round. Rail is special because of the continuous contact between wheel (rolling stock) and rail (infrastructure), which makes the difference in safety and sustainability vs. other transport modes, so mastering both and their interfaces is key to being a “Rail Mobility Visioneer”. This also enables us to optimize safety, availability, transport capacity, and eco-friendliness across borders and over the entire life cycle. Thus, we will show a complete Signaling portfolio, starting from field elements, e.g., our latest and most advanced LED-signals, EU Compact, up to our flagship interlocking platform, ElectroLogIXS, which can be scaled to serve also level crossing, object controller, and train detection applications and be deployed by us or 3^rd party system integrators. Both scalability and partnerships are unique selling points and are complemented by our advanced Wayside Intelligence suite."

"Our Wayside solutions within Knorr-Bremse, for the first time in our history, begin to encompass trackside solutions that guide where trains go, how they do it safely, and ensuring reliable operation for the traveling public. We are excited to show Interlocking and Track Circuit solutions from our KB Signaling division that enable these functions. Our ElectroLogIXS platform, a SIL-4 certified Wayside Controller combines the functions of Interlockings, Track Circuits and a Level Crossing controller into a common architecture, which helps our customers procure, install and maintain their wayside infrastructure in a seamless and efficient way."

What does it mean to be a "Rail Mobility Visioneer"?

"For me, being a Rail Mobility Visioneer means designing a better and bigger future for mobility of people and freight and partnering with the best to bring that future into life. In an increasingly digital era, keeping people in contact with each other and getting goods to them is an essential service to humanity. Thus, our Signaling exhibit focuses on how to make and maintain the routes between them safe and utilize their capacity at its best. This is how I believe such valuable assets should be managed."

"For KB Signaling, Rail Mobility Visioneer means we are not just supplying signaling components; we are helping shape the future of safer, smarter, and more efficient rail movement. Our products — from signal systems and control equipment to engineered field solutions — turn that vision into practical, reliable infrastructure that railroads can trust every day. To me, it means combining deep rail expertise with forward-looking technology so customers can modernize without losing sight of safety, reliability, and maintainability. In short, we help convert the vision of better rail mobility into systems that actually work in the field."

What can visitors look forward to at InnoTrans 2026?

"After having reached global leadership with most of its on-board solutions, I’m especially excited about this first strong statement of Knorr-Bremse to address also the wayside and become a true all-round player in Rail, which will add value to our customers and partners and also strengthen our capabilities in both areas and their interfaces. Signaling is at the core of mobility and of Knorr-Bremse’s DNA and I’m looking forward to meeting again with customers, partners, and the rest of the industry at InnoTrans to get a 360º view of our sector and discuss where we can lead it to improve society."

"Recently, KB Signaling has developed new applications and software analytics for our platforms that are easier to deploy, easier to manage, and provide immediate benefits for our customers. Our Wayside Intelligence applications, which are non-safety-critical applications embedded within the ElectroLogIXS platform, including being able to detect track circuit changes, determining the rail temperature through Rail TempEst and a variety of other insights that can only be realized by using real-time information from the wayside controller. These upgrades are simple to implement, and do not require significant upgrades to the signaling system, so our customers can gain additional insights and operational improvements much more quickly than a full signaling system upgrade. Additionally, continuing to make the ElectroLogIXS platform to a variety of customers, project integrators, and other OEMs around the world allows KB Signaling to help reduce the amount of time to upgrade and improve operations."