DigitalTrains™ – Railway Design Optimisation Made Easy

DigitalTrains™ is a cloud-based software platform for modelling railway infrastructure, rolling stock and subsystems as a fully integrated system. It supports early-stage decision-making across light rail, metro, mainline, high-speed and freight projects.

Users can create and evaluate virtual rail networks and trains quickly using interactive mapping, built-in libraries and collaborative tools – without the heavy setup typical of traditional simulation software.

DigitalTrains Rail Digital Twin

  • Physical design
  • Operational parameters
  • Human load (passengers)
  • Infrastructure interaction
  • Dynamic events (collisions, braking, derailment scenarios)

Long-term benefit:
This same model can later support:

  • Predictive maintenance
  • Incident reconstruction
  • Operational optimisation

Who would use it?

  • Rolling Stock manufacturers – for rescue, gauging and crashworthiness
  • Rail Operators – assessing real world train performance, maintenance strategies, and infrastructure capability
  • Track and Infrastructure designer and contractor – for clearance studied and route planning
  • Design Consultants – enhances collaboration and accuracy in both planning and analysis
  • Safety Authorities – to support standards compliance, safety case assessments, and technical validation
  • Sub-system suppliers (buffer stops/arrestors, bogies, couplers, anti-climbers, gangways etc.) – to simulate inter-vehicle dynamics, clearance analysis, validate energy performance)
  • Project Planners – project development, design, delivery, closure.

Why DigitalTrains


Advanced, Trusted Simulation Engines

DigitalTrains™ combines:

  • VAMPIRE Pro for detailed multi-body vehicle dynamics, wheel-rail contact and suspension behaviour
  • Oleo longitudinal dynamics for modelling impacts, coupler forces and train interactions

These validated engines deliver OEM-grade accuracy in a more accessible, shareable format.

Integrated Mapping & Route Creation

Define routes quickly using GPS and online maps—ideal for early project evaluation:

  • Interactive route creation with automatic geometry generation
  • GPS data upload when survey data is unavailable
  • Trace existing rail alignments to build digital twins
  • Add event markers for braking, traction and impact simulations

This removes the need for time-consuming manual geometry entry.

Collaborative, Cloud-Based Platform

  • Access models anywhere via the web or Altair Marketplace
  • Share simulations instantly via email invites
  • Controlled revision and approval workflows
  • Centralised libraries shared across teams and projects

Perfect for multi-stakeholder and cross-company collaboration.

Libraries, Modelling & CAD Integration

  • Extensive pre-built libraries (vehicles, bogies, couplers, wheel/rail profiles, gauges)
  • Import CAD models for 3D visualisation
  • Download assets (e.g. STEP files) for use in external CAD/FEA tools

Build realistic models quickly without starting from scratch.

Powerful Simulation & Analysis Tools

  • Train running and longitudinal dynamics
  • Impact and collision simulations
  • Track forces, buffer and coupler loads
  • Derailment and flange climb risk analysis