The Strukton ERTMS Trackbot and the Reality Model are indispensable tools in the implementation of the new European standard for train protection and traffic management: ERTMS. How do these smart solutions work, and where can they be seen in practice?
Railway Manager ProRail will replace the current train protection systems (ATB) in the Netherlands with ERTMS in the coming years. This marks the transition from an analogue to a digital railway network in the Netherlands. Train operations will become safer and faster, and European railway traffic will flow more easily across borders.
Implementing ERTMS is a major operation requiring extensive engineering, preparation and execution. To accelerate the process, ProRail launched a European tender in 2019 for innovative solutions. Strukton Rail successfully proposed several ideas, two of which are now ready to demonstrate their added value in practice: the Reality Model and the ERTMS Trackbot. Both innovations were developed by Strukton in cooperation with partners and supported by Europe’s Rail Joint Venture.
Building on Proven Solutions
Corné van de Kraats, Development Engineer, and Ben van Schijndel, ERTMS‑ETCS Programme Manager, have been involved in the development of these tools on behalf of Strukton Rail from the very beginning. “We have been working on automation and robotisation at Strukton for quite some time,” Corné explains. “For example, we previously developed the Leonardo measuring train, which allows us to capture the current state of the railway infrastructure and create a detailed 3D point cloud. Together with our partners, we developed an innovative AI‑based method to convert this point cloud into a 3D representation of the actual infrastructure: the Reality Model.”
The Reality Model adds value in several areas. “Within ERTMS, we use it to verify whether a design is correct and to validate whether the design of an axle counter or balise is actually feasible,” says Ben. “In this way, we prevent failure costs even before construction work starts.”
For the development of the ERTMS Trackbot, the team was able to build on Strukton Rail’s experience with machine and tool positioning, as well as the technology used to control tamping machines to centimetre accuracy via GPS. Together with several specialised robotics partners, the development team designed and engineered the ERTMS Trackbot.
A powerful combination
The Reality Model and the ERTMS Trackbot are deployed together to install axle counters and balises in the railway track. “The process starts with a design for axle counters and balises, produced by an engineering consultancy,” Corné explains. “This design is loaded into the Reality Model and automatically checked for feasibility. The tasks that prove feasible are then scheduled by our planners; this forms the input for the ERTMS Trackbot.”
The ERTMS Trackbot then autonomously navigates to the correct locations, mills the axle counter holes and installs the balises. To do so, it is equipped with multiple robotic arms and can handle various tools. In this way, the ERTMS Trackbot can perform a range of tasks that would otherwise require several employees. Now, only a single operator is needed to operate the Trackbot.
Right first time
“Where this work was traditionally carried out manually by teams — measuring, marking, drilling, fastening, installing, then re‑measuring and completing registration forms — the ERTMS Trackbot combines this entire process in a single operation,” Ben explains. “This saves time, increases safety and reduces heavy physical labour. The ERTMS Trackbot also records and communicates every step, ensuring that the current situation is immediately captured in the Reality Model. As a result, it always contains the most up‑to‑date information.”
Getting started
In week 16, the Reality Model and the ERTMS Trackbot will be deployed for the first time within the ERTMS Northern Lines (ENL) project. On this project, the Trackbot will mill holes and install balises on the section between Leeuwarden and Harlingen, among other tasks.
“These are the very first ERTMS works on this line,” Ben explains. “By combining the Reality Model and the ERTMS Trackbot, we can carry out the work with extreme precision and get it right first time — in the right place and in the right way. Both innovations have been extensively tested with positive results. Confidence in these solutions is high. Now they can finally be put into practice.”
The deployment of the Reality Model and the ERTMS Trackbot is not limited to the Netherlands. “With the ERTMS Trackbot, it becomes possible to automate the installation of axle counters and balises anywhere in Europe,” Corné says. “Heavy manual work is eliminated, safety is improved and quality is assured. The future of railway construction is digital, automated and robotised.”
ERTMS
The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is the new standard for rail safety across Europe. While infrastructure managers and operators are rolling out this advanced system, replacing existing—often outdated—technology can be complex, time‑consuming, and disruptive. Strukton Rail provides the experience, independence, and innovative power needed to make this transition faster, safer, and more efficient.
