Altus Volo

Autumn 2012 The “High Speed” Rail Solutions Newsletter from KOREC

Altus Volo this issue: ■ Trimble Vorsys System ■ Customer Stories ■ Instruments - top picks for rail ■ New software releases, SnakeGrid and GEDO Office

Network Rail approval for Trimble Vorsys System

Welcome!

We are delighted to announce that Trimble’s GEDO Vorsys system, a pre-measurement system for tamper machines, has been approved for use by Network Rail. This follows the Network Rail approval of the Trimble GEDO Track Measuring Device (TMD) in 2009.

The creation of Trimble’s Rail Business Area marks a commitment to better understand and address this vital global market with even more cohesive solutions from the extensive Trimble portfolio.

Development of the Trimble GEDO TMD began in Germany in the early 1990s as a result of German rail authority Deutsche Bahn’s desire to build high-spec slab track outside of tunnels on main-lines. The GEDO TMD increases productivity significantly over traditional “rail-shoe” methods because both rails are measured together. Over 800m per hour can be achieved.

Even greater productivity is required when working with ....continued overleaf

Stop Press: Trimble release the R10 next Generation GNSS Surveying Solution - the smallest and lightest receiver in its class

Welcome to the first KOREC newsletter dedicated to Rail.

For many years Trimble hardware, software and services have been purchased by professionals in the rail industry for their productivity, user-friendliness and cost saving benefits.

At KOREC we have supplied equipment to the UK rail industry for over twenty years and constantly liaise with our partners to offer the best solutions to you, our customers. As KOREC’s Rail Consultant I am proud to bring the most productive and innovative systems to the UK market.

In this extended launch issue of our rail newsletter we will bring you stories from around the World and talk about themes as diverse as high productivity Track Measuring Devices, UAV’ s and video surveying as well as publishing news and opinions from Trimble’s rail team and KOREC colleagues.

I do hope you enjoy our new publication and if you have any requests, comments or ideas, please do let me know.

Full contact details are on the back page of this newsletter or you can email me at matthew.lock@ korecgroup.com

Matthew Lock

Vorsys Approval

Since its introduction in 2008 over 40 systems have been sold worldwide and it has become the recognised standard for pre-measuring, particularly on high-speed lines.

New Software

...continued

tampers, especially on high speed mainlines. In a further collaboration with Deutsche Bahn the GEDO Vorsys system has been developed with the aim of being fast, easy to use and flexible.

Pre-measuring in front of a tamper allows the difference between the design alignment and its current position to be measured and recorded from which a digital tamper file can be created in the field, all with the tamper on-site. Using two Trimble GEDO TMD’s working together, one with the instrument, the other with the prism and control unit, speeds of up to 1,500m per hour are readily achievable. nnn

Trimble GEDO Vorsys system

KOREC Comment “The acceptance of the Trimble GEDO Vorsys system by Network Rail is excellent news and will build on the success of the current Trimble GEDO TMD. The Vorsys principle is tried, tested and trusted throughout the world and offers Permanent Way engineers and surveyors a fast and efficient way of generating digital tamper files along with a variety of track quality reports.

Based on a digital Hallade or Versine method, the principles will be instantly familiar to P-Way professionals. With survey control over much of the network I strongly believe the Trimble GEDO Vorsys will become an integral part of the tamping process and allow the maximum potential of these expensive machines to be reached.” Matthew Lock, KOREC Rail Specialist.

Trimble Comment “This is an outstanding track measuring device. Nothing comes close to it in terms of productivity and functionality; it’s truly unique. Using a VORSYS system, a pre-tamping survey was undertaken recently in Germany and 35km of track was surveyed with two Vorsys systems in 10 hours. Using the traditional method of two teams, each with a rail shoe, this survey would have taken at least one week. Another German company, Spitzke, has reported that because the laser is no longer needed for the pre-measurement, provided sufficient working area is available, the tamping machine can increase its work rate by 30 to 40 per cent.” Matthew Moss (Trimble Application Engineer, Track Surveying and Construction). nnn

The 5 minute Interview Ron Bisio, Business Area Director, Rail Industry, Trimble What should UK rail customers focus on in 2013?

Will Trimble be attending any major European Rail Exhibitions in the next 12 months?

Of course top of the list should be the Trimble GEDO Vorsys system which has just been approved for use by Network Rail (see front page story).

InnoTrans (Hall 23, Stand 214) on the 18th-21st September was a major exhibition for Trimble this year. Held in Berlin, this International Trade Fair for Transport Technology was the perfect place for visitors to see all Trimble’s rail solutions from Vorsys to UAV’s, from survey to mapping.

Secondly, Asset Management is a key area for growth, both of fixed assets using GIS Mapping Systems Ron Bisio and mobile assets using MRM (Mobile Resource Management) systems. GIS technology is developing fast and if these systems are to be effective, they need to be populated with current, accurate asset information.

What benefits will UK customers see from Trimble’s ‘vertical market’ approach to the Rail Industry?

We approached this from the customer’s perspective with the clear aim of better serving those within the railway industry.

Through this approach we have been able to develop more railway domaine expertise with the appointment of rail experts such as Matt Moss who has over 20 years experience and through the acquisition of companies such as Sinning. This approach will also enable us to develop the sort of railway specific solutions that will really meet our customer’s needs.

t On site with Balfour Beatty Rail in Scotland

Which recent rail projects, using Trimble technology, have been of particular interest to you and why?

Top of the list has to be the Balfour Beatty Rail project in Scotland. Constructed in 2010, the 15 miles of new line between Bathgate and Airdire is part of a £300 million rail project to re-connect Glasgow and Edinburgh and another example of Balfour Beatty Rail’s willingness to tread new ground when it comes to technology. What really interested me about this project in Scotland was the use of positioning technology in both the construction and as-built verification phases of the project … all aligned with the common goal of keeping the project on time and budget. It’s a great example of where machine control technology was used for accurate earth moving and roadbed-laying – and then once the rail was laid – the track measuring devices were used to quickly and accurately verify the alignment. nnn

SnakeGrid SnakeGrid was originally developed by Dr Jonathan Iliffe and his team at UCL’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering to overcome the surveying issue of the effects of scale factor and height distortion when applied to linear coordinate systems, sometimes many hundreds of kilometres long. This problem is particularly noticeable in the rail environment when surveyors and engineers are using different positioning systems such as Total Stations, GPS/GNSS and Lasers to coordinate control and measure engineering and asset information.

Effectively Total Stations and digital survey and design data work in scale factor 1 and GNSS does not; SnakeGrid bridges that gap. It allows survey control measurements from GNSS and Total Stations to be combined into a single project file. This means that when any measurement professional is working on that project, they can all use the same coordinate system with a 1:1 relationship between digital data and measurements on the ground.

There are many SnakeGrids across the UK rail network and many projects have it written into the specification. For more information please visit www.snakegrid.org

“SnakeGrid is now implemented in Trimble Access and can be used right now.”

Anthony Mills, Trimble

The great news is that if you need to measure in RTK mode live on a SnakeGrid site you now can with Trimble GPS/GNSS as Trimble Access now supports the SnakeGrid parameter file.

Anthony Mills from Trimble explains:

“SnakeGrid is now implemented in Trimble Access and can be used right now. It can also be used in conjunction with Trimble VRS Now. Although SnakeGrid is suitable for Roads, Pipelines and Rail, we see it very much as something for rail and a great example of a tailor made application for a specialist market and of particular relevance for UK users. Trimble is the first company to implement SnakeGrid into a field solution.”

GEDO Office The latest version of GEDO Office, launched at InnoTrans 2012 in Berlin, will offer a completely re-engineered database. This will allow the software to take a modular form and allow users to build on the alignment import option by adding the modules they need. If their requirements change, they simply add the necessary module – Survey – Tamp, etc along with new QA reports and outputs as their project demands.

The new database also facilitates smoother exporting of data to the controller. Rather than individual components of a design being exported separately (co-ordinates of control points, horizontal, vertical and cant design geometry of the alignment) and then compiled on the Trimble TSC2 or TSC3 controller, the project will be created in GEDO Office and then exported in its entirety to the controller. The engineer will then simply open the relevant project in the field and commence work.

The new features in GEDO Office will further enhance the productivity of the Trimble GEDO Vorsys system, allowing it to be used without an alignment. This means Vorsys will be able to capture survey data at the same high speed of 1,200 – 1,500 m/hour normally associated with its use as a pre-measuring tamper solution, further increasing its flexibility.

Finally the new release of GEDO Office should also make future enhancements easier and allow Trimble to react even more quickly to customer requirements.

The Rail Solutions Newsletter from KOREC

Survey Equipment Top Picks

Customer story Customer: Deutsche Bahn AG

For KOREC rail specialist, Matthew Lock, the first choice is an easy one.

Matthew Lock: It has to be the Trimble S8 1” total station.

This is Trimble’s most advanced Autolock and Robotic total station and has been designed to deliver unsurpassed performance and productivity in land surveying and specialised engineering applications, such as monitoring and tunnelling.

It’s the perfect companion for using with the Trimble GEDO TMD and of course monitoring operations; so much so that 70 Trimble S8’s were used in Switzerland to monitor building movement during the expansion of Zurich’s Central Train Station.

Project: Spitzke SE track-renewal in Hessen, Germany Solution: Trimble GEDO Vorsys Pre-Surveying Helps Keep Railroads on Track

The need for speed and ride comfort for both passenger and freight operations puts high demands on the fundamental elements of railway infrastructure the roadbed and tracks. Roadbed and track quality must be established during initial construction and maintained over time. This involves proper ballast laying and grading, sleepers (ties) positioning, and, especially, ballast tamping and compressing for exact rail positioning. Since much of the work—whether new construction or routine maintenance—depends upon accurately establishing or verifying the track position, high-accuracy survey technology is critical.

Track Renewal in Central Germany In 2011, Germany’s primary railway service provider Deutsche Bahn AG awarded a contract to Spitzke SE, one of Germany’s biggest rail infrastructure companies, for a track-renewal project in the state of Hessen. The project required replacing the existing sleepers and rails along roughly 8 km (5 mi) of the route between the towns of Sontra and Cornberg. Part of a main north/ south line, the route is used primarily by freight trains as well as regional and night passenger trains.

Monitoring in Zurich with the Trimble S8

These 70 total stations were used to automatically monitor the construction impact over five years and proved to be a pioneering achievement.

The only total stations capable of handling the data required for this project, the S8’s were also praised for their low maintenance cost and their quiet performance cutting noise disturbance for those living near the project.

We have a full case study (www.korecgroup.com) on this project and it’s well worth a read.

My second pick is or course the Trimble’s GEDO Vorsys system, already featured in this newsletter. Now that it has Network Rail approval, I strongly believe the Trimble GEDO Vorsys will become an integral part of the tamping process and allow the maximum potential of these expensive machines to be reached.” nnn

As a first step, a track-renewal train replaced the old sleepers and rails with new ones. Next, the approximately placed track was precisely aligned, both horizontally and vertically. For this, Spitzke SE used a Dynamic Stopfexpress 09-3X tamping machine from Plasser & Theurer. These huge, rail-bound machines raise the track by the required amount, compress the ballast beneath every sleeper using hydraulic tamping picks, and perform the lateral alignment during the same run. The amount of horizontal or vertical correction required depends on the track deviation from its specified position after track-laying or ballast maintenance work has been done. This deviation is determined by a process called pre-surveying.

“Before starting any tamping run, the pre-surveying process precisely captures the current track position in order to determine the deviation and to obtain the right lifting and displacement values for the track,” explains Spitzke SE Surveying Engineer (Dipl. Ing. (FH)) Falko Soffner, in charge of pre-surveying tasks for the Sontra/ Cornberg track renewal project.

Trimble S8

How Trimble GEDO Vorsys works

■■ Video-assisted robotic measurement

To perform pre-surveying work, Spitzke SE uses the Trimble GEDO CE Trolley System. This track measurement system consists of two lightweight trolleys, each of which can be easily moved along the rails by the surveyor or assistant. One trolley is equipped with a Trimble S-series total station, while the second carries a fixed prism. The trolleys also have sensors to measure the distance between the rails, the cant (superelevation) and other values. All the data is transferred wirelessly to a Trimble TSC2 or TSC3 Controller, which calculates the track deviation from the

■■ Visual verification with data overlay ■■ Trimble DR Plus for longer range and fewer setups ■■ Specialized configuration options include 0.5” angular accuracy ■■ FineLock for monitoring ■■ Synchronized angle and distance measurements along with 10Hz positioning

Trimble GEDO Vorsys System ■■ Network Rail Approved ■■ Most productive geodetic pre-measuring system available ■■ Supply tamping machine with adjustment data nearly in real-time ■■ Trimble DR Plus for longer range and fewer setups ■■ 95% market share in Germany for pre-measuring ■■ Latest upgrade – kinematic mode – enables more than 1.5km per hour (The speed record is more than 2 km per hour)

Altus Volo | Autumn 2012

specified position. The trolley system, combined with Trimble GEDO Vorsys, Trimble GEDO Office, and Trimble GEDO Tamp software, provides railway-level accuracy with operational speed and flexibility.

Measurements are made using control points typically installed in each catenary support. The total station accurately measures the distance and the height difference to the control point and sends the data to the TSC2 (or TSC3) controller. The measurement is repeated at the next catenary support. The prism trolley is then moved back to the position captured at the first support, and the prism’s position is measured. This creates an optical chord between the measured coordinates. When the prism trolley is moved along the track, the total station exactly follows the prism displacements and records any track deviation from the optical chord. The data is immediately evaluated by the TSC2 and used to calculate the actual position data.

Since the full set of alignment data is stored in the TSC2, the vertical and horizontal shifts, the gauge and cant (superelevation) values, as well as all the significant points where the track geometry changes can be seen at any time. This is a big advantage over other methods which require manual calculation of the actual values.

Because the surveying work is often performed very shortly before the tamping machine starts working, decisions on the tamping run parameters, such as the amount of ballast required, must be applied on short notice. Having accurate data readily available as early as possible makes the construction manager’s life a bit easier. nnn

Mapping Equipment Top Picks We asked KOREC GIS Mapping Consultant, Martyn Palmer, for his top picks from the Trimble mapping portfolio for rail.

Martyn Palmer: First up has to be the Trimble GeoExplorer 6000 Series. A high accuracy hand-held GNSS receiver, it’s capable of decimetre positioning making it ideal for asset management. Add in great performance under tree canopy and in urban canyons, a 5 megapixel camera and 3.5G modem for internet connectivity, large sunlight readable display and field swappable battery offering you 8 - 11 hours on a single charge and it’s easy to see why it’s a KOREC bestseller and a chosen tool for rail asset management and track inspections. It’s also the choice of Gioconda Ltd, specialists in high definition film and 3D virtual reality tools for the rail industry who used it in their recent video surveying project for the East Kent Phase 2 project (see right).

Customer story Customer: Gioconda Ltd Project: Signal remodelling exercise for the East Kent Phase 2 project Solution: Trimble GeoXH 6000

Gioconda Ltd is a provider of specialist services to the rail industry including route assessment and asset logging, signal sighting, 3D modelling and driver briefing. The company carries out its work almost exclusively for Network Rail and Network Rail’s contractors.

Gioconda is by far the most experienced supplier of Desktop Signal Sighting in the UK. The basis of this process is calibrated good quality high definition (HD) footage. If this video does not exist already, Gioconda is equipped to capture it.

“We provide a video service to Network Rail that allows them to cross-check and verify their existing signal sightings and determine that all signals are both correctly positioned on the scheme plan and can be sighted by the drivers,” explains Gioconda Business Development Manager, David Day. “Additionally, if new signals need to be installed, they also need to be sighted. We can do this by blurring out an old signal and modelling and accurately positioning a new one, in 3D,

My next pick is the Trimble Juno 3 Series. This really is a neat little PDA combining GPS 2-5m real time accuracy, 5 megapixel camera (the 3D model also has flash and a mobile phone) – all into a single pocket-sized device. Highly portable, it’s ideal for applications such as vegetation mapping. The Juno 3 Series is also the preferred choice of The Ecology Consultancy, a company which has been involved with major national schemes affecting the rail network at various stages of development. nnn

Trimble Juno ■ Large 2Gb flash memory ■ 3.75G cellular data and voice capability (3D only) ■ High-sensitivity GPS receiver/ antenna

on the video and in the scheme plan. To do this we need to tie in accurate signal position information with date and time information from the video. We then

know exactly where the train is every second and can marry this information with frames from the video.”

The company is a long term user of Trimble mapping GPS for exactly this purpose and recently contacted KOREC to upgrade to a Trimble GeoXH 6000 Series.

David continues, “Gioconda is currently involved on a signal remodelling exercise for the East Kent Phase 2 project. This project will utilise aerial surveys accurate to around 3cm allied to datum points on the ground. We therefore needed a GPS that could supply us with the sub-metre accuracy we required to tie in with this data.

The Trimble GeoXH was the obvious choice. A 5m patch antenna was fixed to the front left side of the train and the GeoXH placed inside the cab. Throughout the project’s duration our Head of Production, Steve Jones, reported that the GeoXH proved easy to use, totally reliable and delivered the sub-metre accuracy we required. KOREC provided great help when we needed it and using the GeoXH has enabled us to provide the more robust information we need for the East Kent Phase 2 project.” *When permission is granted by Network Rail, the 5m patch antenna will be upgraded to a Trimble Tornado antenna. This will enable Gioconda to use the GeoXH’s Floodlight™ technology which combines the units GPS and Glonass capabilities. The optional Floodlight technology is best described as satellite shadow reduction technology. Once installed, the GeoXH can compute positions even with very weak satellite signals.

The technology increases the number of positions that are gathered in difficult locations, and boosts accuracy in those places where normally only low accuracy data is available such as in steep cuttings or under tree overhang. 10cm accuracy will be achievable. nnn

■ 5 megapixel autofocus camera with flash ■ 10hr battery for all-day use (with GPS and backlight on) ■ Bluetooth v2.0, Wireless and micro SD expansion slot

Trimble GeoExplorer 6000 Series ■ Incredible performance under tree canopy and in urban canyons.

Last Call KOREC Photo Competition

■ Large sunlight readable display

At the end of August we launched the KOREC Facebook photography competition, the first of its kind. The competition offers you the chance to share your expertise and projects and win some fantastic prizes. There are four categories; on-site, nature, urban and weather. A winner from each of the categories will win one week’s hire of a KOREC solution up to the value of £250*. A final overall winner will win one week’s free hire of a KOREC solution up to the value of £500* and a £150 Amazon Gift Voucher.

■ Field swappable battery offering you 8+ hours on a single charge

Once you’ve uploaded your photograph you can add a short summary explaining the photograph, what your company does, what the project was and how the kit was used. A case study featuring the winning photograph will also be prepared for the winner. Closing date 02/11/12.

■ 5 megapixel camera and 3.5G modem for internet connectivity

■ 10cm accuracy achievable (Geo XH) in real-time within a VRS network or by post processing

To submit a photograph, please visit the KOREC Facebook page. Alternatively email your photograph to marketing@korecgroup.com. (*Hires include: Trimble GPS Rovers, Trimble Total Stations and Trimble Mapping Devices.) nnn

KOREC Webinars Watch the Webinar – Modern methods of surveying for rail projects KOREC rail specialist, Matthew Lock, explains how the range of Trimble surveying systems are being used to improve methods of survey in the rail sector. Highlights include the Trimble S8 and why it is the perfect choice for anyone involved in the high accuracy surveying that the rail sector demands.

All our webinars can be viewed by visiting www.korecgroup.com, clicking on ‘News and Events’ at the top of the page and then ‘Webinars’. Past titles include: ■ Faro Focus3D Laser Scanner ■ Trimble Vision Technology ■ UAV’s - SenseFLY’s Swinglet CAM ■ Trimble Access for Surveyors ■ Trimble Site Positioning Systems

The Rail Solutions Newsletter from KOREC

Machine Control Equipment Top Picks

Customer story

KOREC’s Machine Control Sales Manager, Peter Brooks, has a single suggestion.

Peter Brooks: It has to be Trimble’s GCS900 3D Machine Control system. This technology has really made its mark on the rail industry and in recent years has contributed to the success of several high-profile projects. Two dual GPS systems were used with great success by Balfour Beatty Rail on the Bathgate – Airdrie passenger rail link project achieving the +/-20mm tolerance required for ballasting at the same time disproving any doubts that GPS machine control is unable to deliver the accuracies required for rail work. Balfour Beatty Rail again elected to use a GSC900 system on the St Denys and Wimbledon area plain line and S&C renewal project, but this time with a Trimble SPS930 Universal Total Station. The end result was a significant reduction in rework and the installation of the S&C’s that was millimetre perfect.

We are starting to see the majority of the major rail contractors endorsing the GSC900 3D systems as the de facto standard method of grading for plain line and S&C renewals using both GPS and Total Stations. Trials are due to start shortly with the GCS900 HEX excavator control system for doing trackside drainage works; we expect this system will follow suit shortly.

The ease of use of the SCS900 software on the data loggers for use with both GPS Rovers/Base Stations and Robotic Total Stations has ensured a quick uptake by staff who might not be trained in surveying, but who can quickly learn simple setting out and data collection tasks during possessions and data collection for planning and works scheduling.

Customer: Network Rail Project: Refurbishment of Allerton Depot Solution: Trimble GCS900 System with Dual GPS, Trimble SPS930 Universal Total Station and Trimble SCS900 Site Controller Software

“Incredible Effort” Once crumbling and neglected, the newly refurbished Victorian depot in Allerton has proved to be a fine example of what can be achieved by a determined and focused team and effective use of technology.

On Thursday 10th May 2012 the new Northern Rail train depot in Allerton was officially opened by Transport Minister, Theresa Villiers. The previously derelict depot has undergone an extensive £11 million refurbishment and its restoration was seen as a crucial project to ease congestion across the north of England. However, what is remarkable about the project is that the work, which required 10,000 tonnes of ballast and the replacement of 4.5km of plain line and 30 units of S&C, was completed in just 6 months, way ahead of the original estimate of up to three years.

St Denys and Wimbledon area plain line and S&C renewal project

One of the defining elements of the refurbishment work was that the depot had to be operational for Northern Rail’s December 2011 timetable change, just nine months away. It became clear immediately that external contractors would not be able to deliver within this time scale and Network Rail made the decision to deliver the programme internally through the Network Rail Maintenance teams.

Trimble GCS900 System with Dual GPS The dual antenna configuration is unique to Trimble GPSbased Grade Control Systems. Using GPS, the exact position, very accurate cross slope and heading of the blade is measured. This is especially advantageous for complex design surfaces such as super-elevation grading tasks.

The on-board computer uses this position information and compares it to the design elevation to compute cut or fill to grade. This information displays on the Control Box screen in plan, profile, cross-section view, or text. The cut/fill data is also used to drive the valves for automatic blade control.

Additionally, the cut/fill data is passed to the GCS900 lightbars, providing additional visual guidance to the operator for up/down to grade and right/left to a defined alignment.

The GCS900 on a dozer can be operated in either indicate or automatic mode.

Trimble SPS930 Universal Total Station The SPS930 Universal Total Station was designed specifically for the high traffic scenarios typically found on a construction site. Exclusive Trimble MultiTrack technology locks on and tracks passive prisms for applications such as monitoring or control measurements and active prism targets for dynamic measurements required for grade control applications.

Trimble SCS900 Site Controller Software Trimble SCS900 Site Controller Software provides an easy-to-use graphical interface that enables surveyors, grade checkers, site engineers, and foremen to efficiently control and quantify site operations without relying on a contract surveyor for site measurement and setting-out.

It is easy to learn and can be used with Trimble GNSS or total station equipment. nnn

Altus Volo | Autumn 2012

High quality work

“In all honestly, our initial thoughts were that the work simply couldn’t be achieved within the 6 month time scale that we had,” explains Dave Smith, Track Design Engineer on the project and part of the Warrington Maintenance Delivery Unit Absolute Track Geometry Team (ATG). “In late April, the ATG Team became involved and our initial task was to establish a control grid and survey all the track within the site in preparation for renewal. This included twelve tracks across, 4.5km of plain line and 30 units of S&C. All were in a serious state of disrepair (both componentry and geometry) and required replacing. If we were to meet the December deadline, then we would have to run the survey, design and construction work in parallel and use every means possible to cut out down time on site.”

The ATG Group decided that the best way to manage their work was through tried and tested technology; two Trimble SPS930 Universal Total Stations with both Survey Controller and SCS900 on-board software for the survey and installation work and a Shovlin Plant D4 dozer with 3D Trimble GCS900 machine control for the earthworks. KOREC supplied all the systems used.

The team established a working pattern that saw them using the Trimble SPS930’s to traverse and survey existing areas of track almost the day before it was ripped out. Then, just two days later, the new track would be installed. “Although on-site we had just the single dozer with the GCS900 system, we had additional machines to move material around,” said Dave. “We’d use the GCS900 system to doze the formation and bottom ballast and then the SCS900 Site Controller software with the Trimble total station to do an as-built survey to compare within our design software.

The benefit of this was that the construction work could be carried out very quickly with plain line being ripped out and new track installed within just 3-4 days.

However with the S&C work, our time scale, from survey to installation, was around 3-4 weeks to accommodate the manufacturer’s build time for the new S&C.” Initially work was undertaken using a conventional laser but this was superseded almost immediately when it became obvious that working with the Trimble 3D GCS900 system was much easier and much more controllable. The system also enabled the team to better handle on-site complexities such as models and correction of alignments.

Dave continues, “Working in this way, we had total control, from the survey through to the as-built, and we always knew exactly where the track needed to be.

However if there is one key benefit that the Trimble kit brought to the project, it has to be the time saved through its sheer simplicity. Even those members of the ATG team who hadn’t used the Trimble software before picked it up really quickly which significantly freed up my time. We never had any problems or issues with the equipment which proved to be robust and reliable and that really helped us to reduce down-time on site. We had a great team working on the project and within 2 months, we realised that we could achieve our deadlines. In fact it was going so well that Northern started to add in extra work! By keeping the work internally within Network Rail, we managed to deliver a successful job for just £11 million. If this work, including the design, had been entirely carried out by outside contractors I would estimate the cost to have been nearer £20 million.”

The work achieved by the Network Rail Maintenance teams including the ATG Team has been recognized within the industry as an exceptional example of what can be achieved, underlined by Northern’s Business Development Director Barry Graham who said, “It serves to show what can be done if you want to do it.

This philosophy ought to be the norm. It ought to help to show change in the culture across the industry.”

The new Allerton depot was handed over on time in December 2011 and created 46 jobs in the area. nnn

Before and after

Events Long Marston - KOREC Rail Day The end of September saw KOREC’s inaugural rail day at The Rail Alliance Head Quarters, Stratford on Avon. The location proved a great success allowing guests to get ‘hands-on’ with KOREC’s range of rail solutions utilising some of the onsite track.

“....It’s been useful to see these rail solutions in a working context. The Trimble Vorsys system will be useful for design validation purposes and our plain line division.”

learn about the take-up of machine control.”

Richard Flanagan, Amey Colas

The day included live demonstrations of the Network Rail approved Trimble Vorsys system, Trimble Machine Control courtesy of Quattro Plant and their D5M equipped with a GCS900 UTS (Universal Total Station) system, the FARO Focus3D laser scanner and the SenseFly Swinglet CAM to name just a few!

“Seeing the 3D software in the dozer cab has been useful the driver normally keeps it to himself! ”

“It’s great to see KOREC back on the road. The rail day was a great opportunity to get hands on with the latest kit amongst like minded people.”

Karl Redfern, Amey Colas “The KOREC rail day was a good opportunity to see the equipment in a working environment, to learn and to ask questions. I wanted to see the Vorsys system and this day has answered many of my questions. It’s also been useful to

Many thanks to all who attended. nnn

From Vision to Construction to Maintenance ...KOREC’s got Rail covered When you bring the KOREC Rail team on-board, you have the very latest rail technology solutions at your disposal.

From 3D machine control to real-time monitoring, our cutting edge systems increase cost effectiveness and deliver greater efficiency.

KOREC are specialists in the provision of construction, machine control and survey solutions for the Rail Industry. We provide a wide range of Total Stations, GNSS, Grade Lasers, Machine Control systems, Track Measuring Devices, levelling and alignment instruments, as well as Asset Management Systems which are suitable for use across a wide range of rail infrastructure projects.

If you would like to find out how KOREC’s Rail Solutions will help you, visit our website or join the conversation online. www.korecgroup.com/markets/rail/

Contact us: For further information on any of the products or services mentioned within Altus Volo, please contact our Rail Solutions Consultant, Matthew Lock, or visit our website

T: 0845 603 1214 E: info@korecgroup.com www.korecgroup.com

Chris Preston, Network Rail

Stephen Diver, Costain “I was most interested in the FARO Focus3D laser scanner with a view to it supplementing our larger scanner. If it becomes available on the GEDO TMD, this will be a very useful combination for us. It was a very good day on a nice site.”

Lukasz Kusior, Bridgeway Consulting Ltd

Exhibitions Railtex 2013 As the UK’s leading rail event covering railway equipment, systems and services, Railtex is the industry’s meeting place - where visitors and exhibitors alike see the latest technology in action, learn about new products/services and meet fellow industry professionals.

Railtex 2013 is taking place from Tuesday 30th April to Thursday 2nd May at Earls Court 2 in London.

KOREC can be found on Stand F34 www.railtex.co.uk

Stay in Touch Twitter: KOREC Rail@KOREC_Rail www.korecgroup.com/markets/rail matthew.lock@korecgroup.com