Asset Standards Authority

Railway Surveying Standard T HR TR 13000 ST | 1 April 2015 18 February 2016

Asset Standards Authority Railway Surveying T HR TR 13000 ST David Brown Senior Surveyor ASA

Railway Surveying Standard T HR TR 13000 ST | 2

What is Railway Surveying?

Railway Surveying • This is a specialist sub-branch of

Engineering Surveying. • It is primarily involved in defining

and managing spatial information in the rail corridor relating to horizontal and vertical alignment of railway track, and the relationship (interface) of this alignment to adjacent track alignments and adjacent civil structures.

• Examples are platforms, overhead wiring structures, signals, gantries, etc.


Railway Surveying requires: A background knowledge of:

Track geometry see (ESC 210)

Structure gauge see (ESC 215)


Railway Surveying Document Background

Two specifications and a manual SPC 211, SPC 212 and TMC 212

into one standard T HR TR 13000 ST


Railway Surveying Standard Development Development of this document:

• Development group consisting of: - Graeme Gaggin - Principal Surveyor, Sydney Trains - Carlo Fattore - Senior Surveyor, Sydney Trains - David Brown - Senior Surveyor, ASA

• A number of development group meetings over a 12 month timeframe

• Distributed for stakeholder review to 40 individuals

• 88 stakeholder comments received from 11 reviewers

• Presented to and accepted by the ASA Configuration Control Board on 28 January 2016

• Published on 17 February 2016


Railway Surveying Standard Overview

Document layout

• Applies to conventional surveying techniques using a Total Station type instrument

• Topic based structure Section 5 – Rail Survey Control Network Section 6 – Track Control Network

(including Survey Plaques) Section 7 – Survey observation check

measurements Section 8 – Documentation Section 9 – Instruments and equipment

(including specialist tools) Section 10 – Competency


Railway Surveying Common Definitions

Terms and definitions that are common and well-known within the rail industry. For example:

Running face: sometimes referred to as ‘gauge face’; this is a point 16 mm below the top of the rail on the inside face that defines the point that track gauge is measured from, and is used as a reference point for track-related measurements.

Running face 16


Railway Surveying Rail Survey Control

• A Rail Survey Control Network is a fundamental requirement for any rail system, but especially for a multi-track and multi-corridor environment.

• A Rail Survey Control Network provides a framework for managing the spatial relationships within the corridor, most importantly the interfaces between tracks and platforms.


Railway Surveying Track Control

• Track Control Marks (TCMs) increase the density of survey marks within the rail corridor.

• Within electrified corridors, as a minimum they shall be located on every Overhead Wiring Structure (OHWS). At locations with restricted clearance, they shall be provided more frequently.

• Together with the plaque or tag, they provide a direct reference for the locating the track in its correct position.

Outside of the Metropolitan Rail Area (MRA), they shall be located at set intervals, in consultation with the Principal Surveyor of the Rail Infrastructure Manager (RIM).


Railway Surveying TCM Survey Plaques

TCM Survey Plaques provide the alignment details relating the TCM to the adjacent track. They must be affixed securely enough to ensure they are able to withstand damage and mistreatment including from graffiti. During the engraving process, the plaques must be treated to ensure maximum lettering contrast.


Railway Surveying Data Requirements

• To ensure compatible data sets, the requirements regarding the data standard of the Principal Surveyor of the RIM must be met.

• For example, in the Metropolitan Rail Area (Sydney Trains’ Network), the GSI-16 format is the required data standard.

• Examples of information required are detailed in the standard.


Railway Surveying Tools and Equipment

Specialised tools and equipment have been developed over the last 30 years to enhance the speed, accuracy and convenience of survey data acquisition, and the safety of survey personnel in an active rail corridor.

This equipment has proved to be both durable and dependable in a fairly harsh work environment.

Examples of this equipment are portrayed in the standard.


Railway Surveying Training

• Because Railway Surveying is not taught as a specialist subject at any of the tertiary institutions teaching surveying, the overwhelming majority of experience in this field is learnt on-the-job and in the field.

• This experience, coupled with mentoring and guidance by experienced professionals, provides the opportunity to produce skilful and practical Railway Surveyors.


Railway Surveying Competency • The competency and proficiency of

individual surveyors is the responsibility of the Principal Surveyor of the relevant RIM.

• The Authorised Engineering Organisation (AEO) process provides assurance that particular systems are established, and sample verification of individual practitioners is undertaken to confirm this.

• It is responsibility of the individual survey firm, whether they are an AEO or not, to ensure that their surveyors are competent, and that all the requirements of the Principal Surveyor, as outlined in this Standard are met.


Railway Surveying Competency

As with many professions, the surveying profession, and particularly the Railway Surveying profession is facing a shortage of skilled and competent personnel.

With this in mind, two lists are included at the end of the Standard to provide some assistance in the allocation of these scarce competent Railway Surveying resources. These lists are not exhaustive, but aim to focus on particular skills that are required in different sections of the rail corridor.

List 1 for work in the Danger Zone: • survey control • track control • track maintenance • half-block replacement • platforms • OHWS, etc

List 2 for work in the rail corridor: • access roads • fencing, bdy determination • embankments • substation works • off track drainage • buried infrastructure, etc


Railway Surveying Summary

• This is a prescriptive document that sets out the who, what, why and where of conventional traverse surveying techniques within the rail corridor.

• The standard outlines specific requirements in terms of marking, observations, and processing and presentation of data to ensure compatibility and uniformity with existing data sets.

• In all cases, examples are provided of tried and proven methods, and the required outcomes.


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