A new way to check railway lines

Australian export case study

Melbourne-based Geomatic Technologies (GT) – a company with an established history in the use of imagery for mapping rail assets – has changed the way railway encroachments can be detected.

Until recently, the predominant way to detect encroachments was to physically go and take measurements at specific locations along a railway track.  It was long and arduous work and it posed considerable safety risks.

Geomatic Technologies’ laser surveys use vehicle-mounted, high-speed reflectorless lasers that continuously scan the rail corridor. 

As the lasers complete their sweep cycles the combined data stream is saved to disk and stored as a complete profile.  This information can be exported in a variety of formats including CAD, GIS and spreadsheet based applications.

Geomatic Technologies’ laser mapping system is now being exported to other parts of the world, including North America and New Zealand. 

“In New Zealand, for example, the laser data has been extremely useful in assessing the track environment through bridges and tunnels for a planned electrification project in the Auckland area,” said Geomatic Technologies Business Manager, David Presley.

Before this project, Geomatic Technologies’ work had been primarily in Australia.

“Austrade helped with introductions to our international client,” Mr Presley said, “and their rail industry specialists in Sydney and Auckland, through the Australian Rail Industry Corporation, worked collaboratively with us.”