Trimble Introduces Railway Track Maintenance and Modernization Solution

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB) introduced today a new addition to its Railway Solutions portfolio -- the Trimble® GEDO CE Trolley System. The new trolley system and software provide as-built survey and documentation for railway track maintenance and modernization.

The GEDO CE Trolley System and software were acquired from Sinning Vermessungsbedarf GmbH of Wiesentheid, Bavaria, Germany.

"Trimble's Railway Solutions combine the latest in GPS/GNSS, optical, imaging, and scanning technologies with customized software and wireless communications, to help users quickly and accurately capture the data needed to provide clients with actionable deliverables," said Ron Bisio, director of Trimble's Railway Solutions Business. "We offer integrated processes and workflows for complete railway lifecycle management -- from the planning phase, through design and construction, and now to the subsequent maintenance phase with the addition of the Trimble GEDO CE Trolley System. In total, the solutions can streamline operations to help keep project costs on target."

As-Built Situation Survey and Track Documentation

Railway track recording and documentation can be completed easily and economically with the robust and high-precision Trimble GEDO CE Trolley System. The modular track surveying system, using optical and imaging total station technology on board the vehicle, is ideally suited for surveying older railway tracks for maintenance and modernization. Combined data collected by the Trimble GEDO CE Trolley and Trimble GEDO Rec software enables users to quickly survey tracks from start to finish without using alignment data. The collected data forms the basis for further data processing and analysis of the state of the track. For maximum track recording speed, Trimble also offers a GNSS version of the vehicle and software.

Railway Construction

Railway construction requires the highest possible performance from surveying equipment. For complete construction information and data processing, the Trimble GEDO CE Trolley System includes three powerful software components: Trimble GEDO Track for correction values directly on site, Trimble GEDO Office for data handling with continuous and integrated data transfer and Trimble GEDO Calc for verification and documentation for the construction of slab track.

Alignment Based Pre-Surveying for Tamping Machines

For alignment based pre-surveying for tamping machines it is essential to forward data to the machine as fast as possible. Any workflow interruption of the machine becomes a critical factor in the alignment based pre-surveying process and all data input requires the highest level of accuracy. For this application, the Trimble GEDO CE Trolley and Trimble's GEDO Track, Trimble GEDO Office, and Trimble GEDO Tamp software used in combination offer a practical system with which a highly accurate nominal/actual comparison can be easily generated. In addition, it can serve as basis for position and height correction of tracks with tamping machines.

Reference Point Based Pre-Surveying for Tamping Machines

When a track has to be brought back to its designed position during maintenance work with a tamping machine, under extreme time pressure, a flexible measuring system for data collection for the machine has a distinct advantage compared to common surveying techniques. With the Trimble GEDO CE Trolley, the Trimble GEDO Vorsys software used as a pre-measurement system, and Trimble GEDO Tamp software the data may be processed in line with the tamping run (residual uplift, ramps). Due to the extremely high measurement velocity (more than 1,200 meters, per hour) and the great flexibility (low weight), the system is ideally suited for this use. The solution creates a highly efficient nominal/actual comparison producing data that can be passed to the tamping machine digitally.

The GEDO CE Trolley System is available now from Trimble's Railway Solutions distribution network.

About Trimble

Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location -- including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978, Trimble is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.

For more information, visit: www.trimble.com.

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SOURCE Trimble