Australia's railways are undergoing a $12.9 billion digital transformation, introducing new signalling, telecommunications and control systems across passenger, freight and heavy-haul networks. However, different jurisdictions are adopting incompatible technologies at varying paces, risking a new "digital break of gauge" where tracks connect but control systems do not. KordaMentha's Railway Outlook 2026 examines whether Australia can convert individual investments into an integrated national railway system.