Amberg Track Measurement Trolley Increases Construction Efficiency for California Light Rail Project

Amberg Technologies’ GRP track measurement trolley and Amberg Rail Slabtrack software suite is being employed by industry-leading rail contractor Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc. during the Phase I construction of the Mid-City/Exposition Light Rail project in Los Angeles, CA. Recently made available in North America, the GRP track measurement trolley enables Balfour Beatty Rail to be more efficient with less manpower, meet high accuracy tolerances for direct fixation track & embedded track construction and deliver an overall better project to their clients. The GRP trolley will initially be used for track alignment, as-built acceptance surveys and eventually clearance analysis.

Regensdorf, Switzerland — January 20, 2010 — Amberg Technologies is pleased to announce Balfour Beatty Rail has taken delivery of a GRP Track Measurement System. The system was purchased from Amberg’s North American distribution partner, the Kara Company of Countryside, IL.

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 and just recently made available in North America.

“Meeting the contract tolerance of 1/8” 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. “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.”

“We are very pleased to have Balfour Beatty Rail as a client. Balfour Beatty is a world leader in rail infrastructure. They have an extremely strong commitment to delivering the highest quality projects to their clients. To achieve this, they remain at the forefront of technology at all levels. Their selection of the GRP track measurement system is indicative of this commitment, as the GRP completely revolutionizes the way track measurement applications are performed. We are pleased to be a provider of strategic technology to Balfour Beatty Rail and look forward to a long partnership with them.” said Brian Daniel, Amberg’s Sales and Distribution Manager for North America.

Successful Light Rail Projects
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. There has never been a tool such as the GRP available in the North American market until now. 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. Contractors benefit from increased production and owners benefit from a higher quality build, which yields less long-term maintenance costs.

Comprehensive Rail Measurement Solution
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.

About Amberg Technologies
For over 25 years, Amberg Technologies has remained a leading provider of specialized system solutions for the geo-referenced collection and refinement of civil infrastructure information. Thanks to solid knowledge and the steadfast focus of our company’s activities on the area of civil infrastructure, especially railways and tunnels, the system solutions from Amberg Technologies enjoy an excellent reputation by experts worldwide. Proven technologies, outstanding quality and reliability as well as the exceptional creation of value through daily utilization have convinced professional users of our products in over 40 countries.