The plan of the FS Group Logistics Hub continues to implement the fleet of "intelligent" freight wagons that travel on the Italian and European railway network every day.

Thanks to Mercitalia Intermodal's Smart Train project , in 2024 another 180 wagons will be equipped by PJM with sensors and modern communication technologies that collect millions of data during the train's movement. Information that helps real-time monitoring of numerous train parameters and is used for predictive maintenance , improving efficiency and safety.

The Logistics Hub company has studied and developed on-board solutions installed on its wagons which, thanks to wireless communication systems , can communicate with machine and ground personnel, thus enabling the automation of various processes and optimizing connected operations to railway traffic.

Thanks to the WagonTracker system of PJM , an Austrian company specializing in digitalised and automated rail freight transport, greater connectivity is guaranteed  through systems that send real-time data such as kilometers travelled, geolocation of vehicles and allow for example the monitoring of the braking system, anchoring harness of the trailer to the wagon and the conditions of the loads.

The Smart Train project allows the development of faster delivery times thanks to automated processes, enabling predictive maintenance logics and maintenance models based on the actual condition of the vehicles. This allows you to reduce costs and at the same time increase the life cycle of the wagons, the efficiency and safety of rail freight transport, with consequent savings in economic costs and greater protection of environmental sustainability. Concrete benefits, which make the level of sustainability of freight transport by train even clearer  .

Mercitalia Intermodal began updating its fleet as early as 2017 and today more than a third of its freight wagons are "intelligent" . The Italian intermodal operator has led the way in digital monitoring capabilities and automated processes, systematically implementing fleet transformation.

The Logistics Hub is constantly committed to adopting cutting-edge technologies to significantly reduce the environmental impact of logistics operations, while at the same time guaranteeing a high-quality service. The FS Group's industrial plan includes investments dedicated to digitalisation also thanks to innovative projects such as the Smart Train, in line with the European Union's research programs which promise a digital revolution in European rail freight transport.

“ The smart train is one of the projects that will allow Mercitalia Logistics to become a European logistics player - declared Maria Antonietta Zocco, Technical Director of Mercitalia Intermodal - By leveraging freight wagons, we can offer safer, faster and more efficient services to our customers . Our smart wagon is an enabler for the automation of railway processes and for predictive and on-condition maintenance. Continuous monitoring of running dynamics, the state of critical components, wear and other factors can lead to significant savings in productivity, maintenance and railway safety which is a fundamental requirement for us.”

For Günter Petschnig, CEO of PJ Monitoring GmbH, one thing is clear: “ Highly innovative companies like Mercitalia Intermodal are driving development and making a very important contribution to rail transport and society. Modern, digital rail transport is the key to achieving the EU's important climate goals. Streamlined and automated processes such as brake testing make transport competitive, faster and safer and transport more goods by rail, an environmentally friendly way.