Experience the future of planning
The 4D Simulation Tool supports visual planning of track renewal works. Enabling users to create, edit and view their 4D Plan from any angle at any speed, create plan variants and better understand the physical site before renewal works begin.
Your Bespoke track planning solution
The 4D Simulation Tool was created to support large and small rail track renewal programmes. The tool has been used by leading rail industry service providers including Network Rail, Babcock, and Atkins, to successfully deliver projects across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The tool is continuously developed by a team of UX developers, digital designers, programmers, and academics working with specialists in rail track renewal, overhead line equipment (OLE), and signalling. This collaboration has resulted in producing an exceptional tool that is fully accessible and effortless to use and has achieved national recognition winning BIM 'Project of the Year' at both the Northwest Regional Construction Award 2016, the Constructing Excellence National Awards 2016, and an Epic MegGrant in 2021. The product aims to help the rail industry better plan track renewal and installation programmes of all sizes and scales, to reduce waste of resources, disruption to travellers, and charges for late completion.
Features of the 4D Simulation Tool
Model
Model a section of track by easily importing any available data.
Aerial photography
Digital terrain
GPS track centre lines
Plan
Plan engineering in overview or in detail using our intuitive user interface.
Track schematic
Plant and equipment library
Activity library
Task inter-dependencies
Time & Distance diagram
Operational traffic
Project costing
Plan variants
Simulate
Visualise the entire project as an animated video, exactly as it will take place on site.
Virtual site cam – any perspective, any magnification
Real-time, fast forward, slow motion
Time slider
Edit the plan and instantly see the impact of changes
Click through to engineering information
Advantages of the 4D Simulation Tool
Plan more quickly
Very easy to use
Produce complex plans in hours, not days
Visual validation of the plan
Simplifies public consultation & stakeholder buy-in
Reveals health and safety risks
Prevent overrun and delay
Understand site constraints
Identify conflicts
Model different scenarios
Visualise last minute changes
Plan more accurately
Enhance site safety
Visualise & mitigate risks
Eliminate and de-risk clashes
Everyone gets home safely
Eliminate wasted resources
Easy to brief work teams
No misunderstandings
Reveals idle plant and equipment
Allows optimal possession duration
Case studies
Epic spotlight article
An Epic Games spotlight article featuring our 4D Simulation Tool.
Bringing the fourth dimension to track renewal scheduling
Professor Terrence Fernando speaks to Abigail Tomkins about 4D Simulation for Civil Engineering Surveyor, June 2020.
What people are saying
“This is different. You can see the plan and see how it will work. We have to deliver more for less as part of the railway upgrade plan and this is a planning package for now, that will take us into the future.” - Steve Naybour, Head of Transformation, Network Rail South Alliance.“We can see constraints of the site, and spot conflicts on-screen. We can even make last minute changes and still be confident they’ll work.” - Roy Hickman, Programme Engineering Manager (2018).“Eliminate Waste - whereas we might have used 5 pieces of equipment for a job, we can often use 2 or 3 and with this package we can see and prove what will need in advance.” - Stephen Kearney, Head of S&C, Network Rail South Alliance. (2016).“The models have assisted the delivery team in the preparation of core works and also had considerable health and safety benefits.” - Basharat Mahfooz, Scheme Project Manager, Network Rail (2018).
Let’s work together
We’re always looking for new opportunities and are comfortable working internationally. Please get in touch, and we can arrange a demonstration for you.
