Siemens and Rostocker Straßenbahn AG start trial operations of Signaling X

Together with Rostocker Straßenbahn AG (RSAG), Siemens Mobility is setting new standards for the future of rail signaling. As part of a pioneering pilot project, the innovative Signaling X platform is being trialed for the first time in German public transport. A software-defined interlocking based on our DS3 safety platform and standard IT hardware has been implemented for the tunnel section under Rostock Central Station, serving tram lines 2, 3, 5, and 6.

The project exemplifies the shift from proprietary hardware solutions to a software-based system, enabling existing infrastructure to be modernized more easily, flexibly, and efficiently. This approach forms the technological foundation for the next generation of digital interlockings. Following successful tests at the Singapore Rail Test Center last autumn, this project marks the next major milestone: testing in a real-world operational environment.

Signaling X as the technological foundation for next-generation rail signaling
Signaling X forms the technological basis for the digital transformation of rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility. The core of the architecture lies in the consistent decoupling of software and hardware: safety-critical interlocking logic is detached from the proprietary specialized components previously required and is instead operated on high-performance standard IT (Commercial Off-The-Shelf, or COTS).

This paradigm shift allows operators to modernize and scale their infrastructure independently of specific hardware lifecycles. Maintenance is simplified, and spare parts management becomes more efficient by leveraging globally available IT standards. The technical foundation is the DS3 (Distributed Smart Safe System) safety platform, introduced in 2020. It creates a highly available, redundant environment in which safety-critical applications meet the highest requirements according to CENELEC SIL 4 on standard (COTS) servers. The deployment in Rostock now demonstrates for the first time the practical implementation of this future-oriented architecture in a complex urban operational environment. This also includes ensuring the highest cybersecurity standards for the operation of critical infrastructure.

Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor.