Positioning Systems
OmniRTPS is a real time positioning system designed to provide continuous spatial and linear position and therefore replace traditional, manually operated positioning systems used on most measuring vehicles.
OmniRTPS® is a self contained, compact unit that has been designed to operate with no or minimal human intervention, which means that it can easily be installed onto any rail vehicle. The system uses a number of positioning components, a railway track centreline model and map matching techniques to generate a track location (Engineers Line Reference, Track Identifier and Mileage) to an accuracy of ± 1 meter (95% confidence level, 1σ), even in areas of poor satellite coverage such as tunnels and cuttings.
The system is also supplied with a desktop based viewing application called the Management Console which can be used to view vehicle positions either on board or remotely. Through the management console users also have the ability to monitor the status of on board sensors and manage the current vehicle location.
The system provides Infrastructure Owners and Fleet Managers with a method in which to position their measurements or operational data more effectively. It can be used to display a vehicles current track location, as the main positioning or synchronisation component to other vehicle mounted measurement systems and to remotely activate on board systems.
Through a number of configurable outputs, OmniRTPS® can be integrated to supply position and synchronisation to systems used for Fleet Management, Track Monitoring and Track Maintenance.
Data positioned with OmniRTPS can be loaded into a spatial database where custom tools enable users to import the latest data and compare the measurements against historical surveys to identify change and plan maintenance works.
The system is currently used extensively across the Network Rail Maintenance Fleet and is installed on the New Measurement Train (NMT), Structure Gauging Train, Ultrasonic Trains, Track Geometry Train and Radio Survey Train.
Benefits
- positional accuracy of ±1m (95% confidence level, 1σ)
- repeatability of position, run on run, to assist with trending analysis
- ability to provide position and synchronisation signals to third party systems
- easy interface with external systems using industry standard interfaces (serial, Ethernet)
- remote monitoring and activation of on board systems
- better information to on train staff provided by real time track level view
- easier data management as records have both spatial and linear reference
- complex data easily visualised on a map