In recent years, inadequate railway gauging surveys have caused multiple incidents on European railways. In 2014, SNCF introduced new rolling stock that was incompatible with platform clearances at certain Île-de-France stations, causing major issues. More recently, in early 2023, Spanish operator RENFE faced problems with new trains exceeding the structure gauge, preventing them from passing through tunnels in Asturias and Cantabria. However, such issues can be anticipated and avoided.
With 3D LiDAR technology and artificial intelligence, structure gauging and clearance assessments are now highly accurate. This includes verifying safety distances, checking rolling stock kinematic envelopes against actual railway infrastructure, and eliminating clearance infringements. It also prevents costly rolling stock and infrastructure modifications. Our approach achieves this using a 3D template on a detailed point cloud survey.
TheCrossProduct specialises in LiDAR railway gauging and clearance studies, offering automated measurements, safety distance assessments, and 3D railway template testing—delivering a precise, rapid analysis.