POLAND: Infrastructure manager PKP PLK has awarded Goldschmidt Group company GRAW a contract to supply inspection vehicles and specially-developed software that would enable the manual inspection of track to be replaced by safer and more efficient automated and data-driven processes.
The vehicles will record parameters including track geometry, ballast bed condition and rail temperature, using an extensive video inspection system. Integrated AI capabilities are intended toexpand the knowledge base continuously, with each inspection providing additional data to enhance precision and reliability.
The initial phase will see one inspection vehicle, two local servers and seven local workstations delivered and tested in a pilot area by the end of 2028. Up to nine inspection vehicles, 23 servers and 60 workstations are planned for delivery to different regions over the eight-year project. The contract also includes five years of maintenance and support as well as training.
‘Digitisation and automation of track inspection are key to improving safety and efficiency in rail transport’, said Goldschmidt Group CEO Dr-Ing Georg Friberg when the contract was announced on August 19. ‘We are proud to contribute our technology and expertise to this forward-looking project’.
GRAW Managing Director Marcin Kowalski said ‘this collaboration with PKP PLK reinforces our leading position in track inspection. Our technologies developed in Gliwice enable the transition from manual inspections to a process that combines state-of-the-art measurement technology with AI-supported data analysis.’
