As early as 1920, Hitachi Rail has been providing railroad systems and solutions to suit all kinds of urban planning needs. Its product range includes:
Hitachi is the first to manufacture large electric locomotives in Japan and has since produced express trains, Shinkansen, monorails and linear subway with small cross-sections. It is considered as one of only a few comprehensive railway system integrators. In 2005, Hitachi undertook the project of high-speed railcars for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (currently known as High Speed 1) for the UK Department for Transport. Apart from that, Hitachi's monorails can also be seen in Japan, China, Singapore as well as Dubai and have received high praise for eliminating traffic congestion and combating the problem of exhaust gas emissions.
Class 8620 was first made for the Ministry of Railways, after the incorporation of the Kasado Works in 1921. It was put in static storage when operations were discontinued in 1975, but was put back into operation for the JR Kyushu Houhi Line under the name "Steam Locomotive Aso BOY" in 1988. It continues operating today as the "Steam Locomotive Hitoyoshi" on the Hisatsu Line. 
