70802 at Paddington

[Monkey Magic]

Saw 70802 leaving platform 14 at Paddington yesterday running light with something odd fixed to the country end - it is hard to describe but I did find a photo on flickr of it.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/86734924@N03/16446739550/

Does anyone know what this piece of equipment is for?

 

[asylumxl]

The part on top of the pole appears to be a GPS receiver (the kind we use for surveys) and I imagine the part at the bottom is some kind of track scanner, possibly laser based.

 

[swt_passenger]

It's a 'man portable' track geometry measurement system that can be mounted on the coupling of a loco or unit.

There were photos knocking around maybe 2 or even 3 years ago of it being used (up north somewhere) on a 15x in passenger service.

(Drawing a blank with google at the moment, probably can't find a suitable search term.)

 

[Y186520]

I snapped it on Jan 6th on the front of 70810 at Eastleigh, in a what on earth is that moment .



Carl Watson has a picture on his site from Jan 14th in Eastleigh works with it
on 56087. he descibes it as RILA survey equipment.

http://www.carlswatson.com/trains.html


Does anyone know what RILA stands for?

 

[swt_passenger]

I snapped it on Jan 6th on the front of 70810 at Eastleigh, in a what on earth is that moment .
Does anyone know what RILA stands for?

Here's a website:

http://www.raildata.nl/english/rila.asp

thanks for the hint, the firm seems to be 'Raildata', they don't seem to explain RILA though.

 

[jopsuk]

It's entirely possible that "RILA" is a Dutch, not English, acronym.

 

[Y186520]

Thanks for those replies. The Dutch seem to use it extensively with different stock from Mat 64's to Statler's.

The raildata website refers to rail alignment and geometry information.

Perhaps its just using RaIL Alighnment to make the acronym.

 

[fgwrich]

It's a 'man portable' track geometry measurement system that can be mounted on the coupling of a loco or unit.

There were photos knocking around maybe 2 or even 3 years ago of it being used (up north somewhere) on a 15x in passenger service.

(Drawing a blank with google at the moment, probably can't find a suitable search term.)

Indeed, and it has been used with Colas Rail's 47749 in the Wigan area back in 2013, there is a brief mention of it on here with the same link as posted by you.

http://www.railforums.co.uk./showthread.php?t=87555&highlight=RILA

Has been doing it for a month or so now, and not the first time it's ran into Paddington with a Colas 70 either.

 

[AndyPJG]

Google search of "RILA survey" gives http://www.raildata.nl/english/rila.asp which seems to be informative.

RILA case study is headed "Rail Infrastructure Alignment Acquisition System (RILA)"

 

[swt_passenger]

Google search of "RILA survey" gives http://www.raildata.nl/english/rila.asp which seems to be informative.

I posted that a few hours and four posts ago though...