Rittal Blog

What Does Rittal Do: Rail

Written by Yannick Longbottom | May 6, 2025 8:00:00 AM

Rittal’s enclosure solutions are applicable across all areas of the railway network, from telecoms to signalling, power, station systems, SCADA, and more. One area where Rittal really shines for the railway is with trackside and outdoor solutions.

These environments are among the most demanding in the rail industry. Equipment here must withstand everything from high solar gain and fluctuating temperatures to rainfall, dust, and even vandalism. With rail assets becoming increasingly digital and power-dense, protecting them is no longer a luxury that can potentially be overlooked. Now, it is an essential consideration.

So much of the railway now is moving towards digitalisation to keep up with today’s demands. This transformation allows for greater automation, smarter monitoring, and improved passenger services. However, digitalisation also introduces new challenges. Without these new digital assets managing communications on the railway, our rail network would be harder pressed on efficiency and safety.

Equally, as telecoms become more and more digital, the assets become hotter, denser, and more power-hungry. Combine that with increasingly harsher environments such as warmer summers and more volatile winters, and the requirement to protect those assets not only increases but becomes vital to maintain uptime and system integrity.

This is where Rittal comes in.

As a global leader in enclosure solutions and innovations, Rittal can provide the railway sector with an entirely flexible and modular solution. Crucially, one that is market leading in its inherent resiliency to external factors such as solar gain, heat, rain, and physical security threats.

For example, Rittal’s outdoor enclosures feature double-walled construction and are manufactured from powder-coated aluminium, stainless steel, or GRP to provide long-term resistance to corrosion, thermal stress, and water ingress. These features offer added protection against environmental factors that standard sheet steel enclosures simply aren't built to handle. Next time you visit a train station, it may be worth counting how many trackside enclosures you can see that are deteriorating. There may be more than you would expect. 

With the latest innovations, you can now, off-the-shelf, build an entire housing solution to be placed trackside. Complete with all necessary accessories such as lighting, shelving, and cable management, as well as climate control and remote monitoring capabilities, this all-in-one package is available from one sole manufacturer: Rittal.

This approach drastically reduces design complexity and lead times. Rather than sourcing components from multiple suppliers, railway operators can rely on a fully integrated system designed for seamless compatibility and optimal performance. Additionally, built-in monitoring systems provide real-time alerts for temperature, humidity, and access control, allowing for proactive maintenance and increased reliability.

But it doesn’t stop there. Whether trackside, indoors, outdoors, for IT/telecoms systems, industrialised control systems or small station systems—Rittal has an enclosure solution to match.

As our rail infrastructure continues to evolve, particularly with the push towards smart railway technology, Rittal remains at the forefront—ensuring that behind every digital innovation is a physical system that’s secure, efficient, and built to last.

Enjoying the 'What Does Rittal Do' series? Keep your eyes peeled for the next instalment as we continue to demystify each facet of our company.