Success Story: Digitization of the Railroad Infrastructure on the Oviedo–Infiesto Section

Success Story: Digitization of the Railroad Infrastructure on the Oviedo–Infiesto Section

CAF Signalling, a leading company in railway signaling systems, sought to improve the accuracy and efficiency of track asset management on the Oviedo–Infiesto section. As part of its innovation projects, the company identified the need to digitize the existing infrastructure to facilitate the design, maintenance, and operation of advanced signaling systems.

The main objective was to create a detailed digital model of the railway route that would include:

• Precise location of all track-side elements (beacons, signals, junction boxes, etc.).
• Track geometry, including vertical and horizontal alignments.
• Extraction of key elements such as rails, center lines, and auxiliary equipment.

This information had to be collected with high accuracy and within a short timeframe, while minimizing disruption to rail operations.

A Mobile Lidar Scanning system mounted on a rail vehicle adapted to travel along the section. This technology made it possible to:

• Capture millions of points per second using 3D laser scanning.
• Generate a high-resolution georeferenced point cloud.
• Process the data to automatically extract road elements, geometry, and alignments.

The system was operated under actual track conditions, without the need for prolonged service interruptions or extensive manual intervention.

A spokesperson for the project highlighted the impact of the solution:

“The digitization of the Oviedo–Infiesto section represents a key step in our strategy toward a smarter rail infrastructure. Thanks to 3D mobile scanning technology, we have been able to create an accurate and comprehensive digital model that will enable the Infrastructure Manager to reduce time and improve the reliability of its systems, both during the design phases and for maintenance operations.”

Tangible results include:

• Centimeter-level accuracy in locating railway assets.
• Reduced capture times compared to traditional methods.
• Complete digital model of the section, useful for engineering, maintenance, and simulation.
• Improved signage planning, thanks to reliable and up-to-date data.

This project has enabled CAF Signalling to make progress in its digitalization strategy, laying the groundwork for smart management of railway infrastructure.