Track Geometry

According to the Federal Ministry of Transport, around 390 million tons of goods were transported on German railways in 2022.  And this figure is set to rise: The aim is to increase the share of freight traffic from around 20 percent to 25 percent by 2030. Around the globe, the railroad infrastructure is also under enormous strain due to increasing freight and long-distance traffic. Regular inspections of track position and track components are therefore necessary in order to detect possible damage at an early stage, as errors in track geometry lead to premature wear of rails, fastenings or sleepers, as well as train wheels.

High-resolution 3D profile of tracks and track components

The Track Geometry Measurement System TGM measures the track geometry at high traveling speeds - automatically, precisely and contactless. The compact and robust measuring system is firmly installed under the measuring vehicle. The TGM is based on the light section method and records the track position, track bed, sleepers and fastenings in a single measurement process, providing digital 3D data. In addition to the pure track geometry, information on various track components can also be automatically extracted from the 3D point clouds. At a driving speed of 120 km/h, a profile is recorded every 5 millimetres; at lower traveling speeds, measurement accuracy in the sub-millimetre range can be achieved.