Bex and Dan are thinking about all the ways the rail network will change – and how this will make positive changes for everyone.

We’ve been investigating new types of track and sleepers. These don’t just help trains to run more quickly – they’re quieter too!

The brilliant thing about the railway using all this new technology is that it’s not just the passengers who are going to be happier.

Electric trains are better for the environment than diesel trains, and you can often fit more people into them.

That’s better for everyone – and not just those living near the railways…

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The people who run the railways are expecting double the amount of people travelling by train in a few decades time, so double-decker trains like those already in-use in Europe would definitely be a great way to get all those new passengers onto the railways.

Tubes and trams are also important at helping people get across cities to shops and places of work.

Digital technology can help them run closer together so more journeys can fit in. And if trains could run faster – well, that would also help run more trains on the existing tracks.

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Brand new railway lines can also help.

Making dedicated lines for high speed trains can release space on the existing lines so they can run more local trains.

Digital technology can also help keep things running smoothly. Like those maintenance trains that can scan the rails for flaws and check the overhead wires to see if they’re wearing out.

Because more and more of the information about the railway is on computers, engineers and planners can use it all that data to figure out patterns – see where problems are – and fix them before they create a delay.

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That data can also help passengers know how the trains are running and monitor their journeys.

Stations are also getting makeovers, with technology helping passengers show them where their reserved seats are, or where the unreserved seats are if they need them.

There are certainly lots of changes to look out for on the railways, as the Digital Railway makes use of new technology to enable more people to use the railways more efficiently and environmentally friendly.

In five years, ten years, even fifty years from now, who knows what other changes will have taken place – maybe you’ll be part of the railway’s future too!