DB Cargo has committed to digitalising its freight wagon fleet by 2020. The project will involve fitting 70,000 wagons in Germany with state-of-the-art sensors and telematics systems, which will enable wagon tracking and provide information about occupancy, temperature and humidity levels. We find out about the technical challenges and the outlook for digitalising rail freight and cargo across the industry.

In infrastructure, we profile the 18km Fehmarnbelt tunnel that will connect Denmark and Germany as it approaches the construction phase, find out if the UK will ­­regret ditching its rail electrification projects, and hear about upgrading New York City subway’s ageing signalling system.

Elsewhere, we take a deep look into the 165 years of Indian Railways and the heritage of the company, from the days of the British Raj to becoming a modern-day superpower, and examine the controversy surrounding French President Emmanuel Macron’s reformation of the SNCF and ask whether this is the first step towards privatised national rail in the country.

Read on for all this and ­­­­join the conversation on Twitter.

Katie Woodward, editor