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Networked maintenance

Networked maintenance for greater track capacity

The railway is an essential pillar of modern mobility. In 2026, however, it is facing a huge challenge: rising demand requires ever-greater availability of the rail network, which in turn places massive pressure on track construction and maintenance. Mechanization has already led to significant productivity increases in track construction and maintenance over recent decades. However, attention is now shifting to a structural conflict of objectives that calls for new, holistic approaches.

The equation may seem paradoxical: regular maintenance is essential to maintain the infrastructure’s performance. However, this requires valuable track access time – a resource that is becoming increasingly scarce due to growing demand. As a result, maintenance is performed on shorter track sections. This, on the one hand, drives up unit costs and, on the other, can lead to inconsistent overall quality.

At first glance, longer corridor closures would be more efficient for maintenance, but the operational impact on traffic is now hardly acceptable. To resolve this “never-ending conflict”, it is no longer enough to simply improve the machines’ performance in specific areas. Rather, the entire track construction and maintenance process needs to be systematically optimized in order to make better use of existing track possessions. This is where the concept of networked maintenance comes into play within the end-to-end process.

The end-to-end process: an integrated, comprehensive approach

To reduce track possession duration and speed up work processes, data recording, planning, execution, and documentation must be seamlessly integrated. The focus here is on the interplay between all phases – from condition recording through to documentation, and the process steps involved. The advantage is that every single optimization within this chain has an immediate impact on the availability of railway installations.

Accurate condition recording as the basis for planning

Effective asset management requires continuous monitoring of the track to enable maintenance measures to be derived in a timely and technically sound manner. The more precise this information is, the easier it is to determine when action should be taken, by balancing wear reserves against operational impacts.

A major breakthrough has been achieved thanks to measuring systems that can be integrated into regular train operations. Non-contact and highly precise, Plasser ReferencedGeometry system enables, for example, the absolute measurement of the track position at speeds of up to 80 km/h. Manual measurements on the track are no longer necessary. Therefore, there is no need for additional track possessions or time-consuming safety measures for staff. Time-consuming manual labour in the danger zone has now given way to automated turnout inspection: 3D laser measurement and high-speed video technology are used on trains travelling the track.

Digital twins and AI in work preparation

The digitalization effort continues in the planning of the actions. LiDAR scans and camera-based systems are used to create highly precise digital representations of the infrastructure. These digital twins enable a virtual site inspection from the office. This eliminates the need for time-consuming travel to the site. With the help of artificial intelligence, objects belonging to specific classes can be automatically recognized and classified in the digital twin and transferred to the operating company’s asset database. This comprehensive documentation forms the basis for all future monitoring throughout the railway installation’s life cycle.

A key driver of efficiency is the digital workflow, which eliminates interface issues. Plasser OperatingSystem now enables a seamless data flow from measuring through to analysis and directly into the tamping machine’s ALC. This lossless transfer of information significantly enhances process reliability.

Efficient implementation of actions on the worksite

During the project implementation phase, the precision and speed of maintenance are key to its success. Modern assistance systems such as the Plasser TampingAssistant are paving the way for autonomous machines. The system uses high-resolution sensors and AI to scan the working area in real time. It then automatically positions the work units. This relieves staff, reduces the likelihood of errors, and ensures consistent quality of work.

To make the most of short track possessions, machines that combine several maintenance tasks in a single pass are becoming increasingly important. Modern tamping machines now incorporate functions such as measuring the track position, correcting, stabilizing, and ballast bed profiling. What used to require an entire maintenance train is now carried out by a single machine. This reduces staff requirements and shortens track possession durations.

Comprehensive documentation and quality assurance

The process concludes with detailed post-measuring and documentation. Plasser SmartReporting consolidates data from various machine systems and generates a structured report. This provides an analysis of the work performed on each sleeper and shows the changes made to the track geometry in great detail. Via Plasser DataMatic, this information is immediately available to the infrastructure manager in the back office for long-term condition monitoring.

 

Partnership-based integration for the future

Connected maintenance demonstrates that it is possible for planning and construction to successfully coexist. The conflicting objectives mentioned above can be reduced through the systematic integration of digital condition recording, intelligent planning, and automated execution. The result is an integrated end-to-end process that not only ensures the quality and durability of the infrastructure, but also creates the urgently needed capacity on the rail network.

 

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