LA light rail project uses Amberg Technologies Track Measurement Trolley
Written by jrood
Balfour Beatty Rail has taken delivery of an Amberg Technologies GRP Track Measurement System. The system was purchased from Amberg's North American distribution partner, the Kara Company of Countryside, Ill. Widely used throughout the rail industries of Europe, Asia and many other parts of the world, the GRP track measurement system is the most advanced technology available in its class, Amberg notes, and just recently made available in North America.
"Meeting the contract
tolerance of 1/8-in. for vertical and horizontal alignment in embedded track
construction is challenging and correcting an error after the concrete has been
poured is very expensive," said Clay Collins, project manager for Balfour Beatty Rail on
the Mid-City/Exposition Light Rail project in Los Angeles. "The Amberg system
provides better quality control than traditional methods of embedded track
construction by allowing us to load the entire design alignment directly on the
trolley. We can now perform quick and very precise track adjustments before and
during concrete pours with fewer people. The real-time output eliminates manual
calculations by our surveyors and the as-built reporting capabilities provide a
better deliverable to our clients."
A key component to a
successful light rail project is a precise alignment of the track. This
provides a smooth ride for customers while reducing wear and tear on the
rolling stock, thus reducing overall maintenance cost to the owner. By
utilizing the GRP trolley, track alignment can be achieved in a fraction of the
time compared to traditional methods and at a much higher accuracy, Amberg
points out. Contractors benefit from increased production and owners benefit
from a higher quality build, which yields less long-term maintenance costs.
The GRP is a modular,
easy-to-use trolley-based measurement system. Combined with the powerful Amberg Rail software suite, the system is used for a wide array
of applications within both the freight and passenger rail industries. As-built
acceptance surveys, track construction, real-time clearance analysis, 3D laser
scanning and tamping surveys are just a few of the many applications supported
by the GRP track measurement system.
