Rail Positioning
High-precision GNSS/INS positioning for track geometry measurement, train localization, and rail infrastructure monitoring -- powering track recording vehicles and digital rail infrastructure across Europe with gap-free trajectories through tunnel outages.
Talk to an Expert →Why AlgoNav for Rail?
Reliable train positioning software engineered for the demanding requirements of modern railway operations and track geometry measurement campaigns.
Track Geometry Measurement
Precise measurement of railway track alignment, gauge, cant, and longitudinal level for proactive maintenance planning. Our GNSS/INS trajectory processing delivers the sub-centimeter accuracy required to reference all geometry parameters in the national coordinate system and support EN 13848 quality workflows.
Continuous Train Localization
Tightly-coupled GNSS/INS with inertial odometry maintains continuous high-accuracy positioning through tunnels, underpasses, and station environments where GNSS signals are blocked or degraded. No gaps in your trajectory, even on the most challenging rail corridors.
Rail Asset Georeferencing
Accurate georeferencing of railway assets including signals, switches, mileposts, and infrastructure elements. Create comprehensive digital inventories tied to precise absolute coordinates for asset management and digital twin creation.
Clearance and Gauging Profiles
Precise positioning for structure gauging runs and clearance verification. Combine GNSS/INS trajectories with LiDAR and camera data to generate accurate clearance profiles for rolling stock compatibility assessments.
Applications
AlgoNav rail positioning technology supports a wide range of railway measurement and monitoring workflows.
Track Recording Vehicles
High-speed track geometry measurement at operational speeds up to 300 km/h. GNSS/IMU trajectory processing provides the absolute reference for all geometry parameters recorded by onboard measurement systems and track geometry cars, and ties each run to the national coordinate system.
ETCS Level 3 Positioning
Support for European Train Control System moving block signaling. Precise onboard positioning data enables safe train separation without fixed block boundaries and supports ETCS Level 3 virtual block localization concepts.
Rail Corridor Mapping
LiDAR-based infrastructure surveys along railway corridors. AlgoNav trajectory processing georeferences point clouds for vegetation management, clearance analysis, and 3D modeling.
Overhead Line Inspection
Catenary geometry measurement for contact wire height, stagger, and wear monitoring. Continuous positioning through electrified sections ensures complete coverage.
Challenges We Solve
Railway environments present unique positioning challenges that standard GNSS processing cannot handle. AlgoNav's algorithms are specifically designed to overcome these obstacles.
Tunnel and Bridge GNSS Outages
Railway corridors frequently pass through tunnels, under bridges, and through covered stations where GNSS signals are completely blocked. AlgoNav's tightly-coupled INS navigation bridges these GNSS gaps seamlessly, maintaining centimeter-level trajectory accuracy throughout. This is critical for continuous track geometry measurement -- any gap in positioning means a gap in your measurement record, requiring costly re-runs.
High-Speed Vibrations
Track recording vehicles operating at speeds up to 300 km/h experience significant vibrations induced by rail joints, switches, and track irregularities. AlgoNav's advanced IMU processing algorithms distinguish between track-induced vibrations and genuine vehicle dynamics, filtering out high-frequency noise while preserving the real track geometry parameters that maintenance engineers need.
Cant and Alignment Accuracy
Measuring track cant (superelevation), gauge, and horizontal alignment to sub-centimeter accuracy requires an exceptionally precise trajectory solution. AlgoNav's post-processing algorithms achieve the trajectory quality needed to reliably determine these parameters, enabling infrastructure managers to plan targeted maintenance interventions before defects become safety-critical.
Dense Railway Environments
Urban rail corridors, deep cuttings, and routes alongside electrified infrastructure create heavy multipath from metal structures and catenary systems plus signal obstruction. AlgoNav's robust GNSS processing handles these degraded signal conditions through advanced outlier detection, multi-constellation tracking, and multipath mitigation, ensuring reliable positioning even in the most challenging rail infrastructure monitoring scenarios.
Track Geometry Parameters
Understanding the key measurements that define railway track quality and safety -- and why precise GNSS/INS trajectory processing is essential for each one.
Track Gauge
The distance between the inner edges of the two rails, nominally 1435 mm on standard gauge railways. Deviations from nominal gauge affect vehicle stability and ride comfort. Precise GNSS/INS trajectory positioning is essential for referencing gauge measurements to absolute coordinates along the track.
Cant (Superelevation)
The height difference between the outer and inner rail in curves, designed to counteract centrifugal forces. Accurate cant measurement requires sub-centimeter vertical trajectory precision. AlgoNav's roll-angle accuracy from tightly-coupled INS processing directly supports reliable cant determination.
Twist
The rate of change of cant over a defined distance, typically measured over 3-meter and 6-meter bases. Twist exceedances are among the most safety-critical track geometry defects. Continuous, gap-free trajectory data is essential for calculating twist across every meter of track.
Alignment
The horizontal position of the track centerline relative to the design geometry. Alignment measurements determine whether the track follows its intended horizontal path. GNSS/INS positioning provides the absolute reference needed to compare measured alignment against design coordinates.
Longitudinal Level
The vertical profile of the track along its length, describing how the rail surface rises and falls. Level defects cause dynamic wheel forces that accelerate track degradation. Precise vertical trajectory accuracy ensures that level measurements reflect true track condition rather than positioning errors.
Absolute Positioning
All track geometry parameters must be referenced in the national coordinate system for maintenance planning and regulatory compliance. AlgoNav's precise GNSS/INS trajectory is the foundation that ties every measurement to its absolute position on the railway network, enabling comparison across measurement campaigns and years.
Rail Industry Compliance
AlgoNav positioning solutions are designed to meet the standards and requirements of European railway infrastructure managers.
ETCS/ERTMS Compatibility
Positioning data formatted for integration with the European Train Control System. AlgoNav supports the trajectory accuracy requirements for ETCS Level 2 and Level 3 applications, including moving block train separation and continuous speed supervision.
Deutsche Bahn Standards
Compliance with DB Netz AG measurement requirements for track geometry recording. Deutsche Bahn is an existing AlgoNav customer, relying on our trajectory processing for operational track measurement campaigns across the German rail network.
EN 13848 Track Geometry Standards
AlgoNav trajectory processing supports the accuracy requirements defined in the EN 13848 series of European standards for track geometry quality. Our solutions help infrastructure managers classify track condition and prioritize maintenance according to standardized alert and intervention limits for gauge, cant, alignment, twist, and longitudinal level.
Digital Twin Creation
Georeferenced rail infrastructure data for Building Information Modeling (BIM) and digital asset management. AlgoNav's precise trajectories enable the creation of comprehensive digital twins of railway corridors, combining point clouds, imagery, and geometry data in a unified coordinate framework.
On Track with AlgoNav
Discover how our GNSS/INS positioning solutions support railway operators, infrastructure managers, and track recording vehicle manufacturers across Europe.