Hitachi Rail has been awarded a contract worth approximately €37 million to replace the existing Automatic Train Protection (ATP) equipment on Taiwan Railway Corporation’s EMU500 fleet.
The project covers 63 trains and will see the current ATP system replaced with Hitachi Rail’s ELO system. The upgrade is intended to modernise the electrical systems of the EMU500 units, reduce faults and extend vehicle life.
The contract also strengthens Hitachi Rail’s long-term relationship with Taiwan Railway Corporation (TRC). The company has previously supplied rolling stock to Taiwan, including 600 EMU train cars in 2019.
Beyond fleet reliability, the new ATP system is expected to support future digital signalling development, including a possible later upgrade towards ETCS Level 2.
“This contract award underlines Hitachi Rail’s longstanding partnership with TRC, which is expanding into the signalling sector of TRC’s rail infrastructure,” said Gabriel Koe, Senior Director at Hitachi Rail Taiwan.
For the wider rail sector, the deal highlights the continued demand for signalling upgrades and life-extension projects on existing fleets, as operators seek to improve safety, reliability and readiness for future digital systems.
