Improving railway safety depends heavily on the reliability of railway turnouts. The realization of effective, reliable and continuous observations for the spatial analysis and evaluation of the technical condition of railway turnouts is one of the factors affecting safety in railway traffic. The mode and scope of monitoring changes in geometric parameters of railway turnouts with associated indicators needs improvement. The application of digital twins to railway turnouts requires the inclusion of fundamental data indicating their condition along with innovative monitoring of weather conditions. This paper presents an innovative solution for monitoring the status of temperature and other atmospheric conditions. A UbiBot WS1 WIFI wireless temperature logger was used, with an external DS18B20 temperature sensor integrated into an S49 (49E1)-type rail as Tszyn WS1 WIFI. Measurements were made between January and May (winter/spring) at fixed time intervals and at the same measurement point. The aim of the research is to present elements of a fundamental approach of applying digital twins to railway turnouts requiring the consideration and demonstration of rail temperature conditions as a component in the data acquisition of railway turnout condition data and other constituent atmospheric conditions through an innovative solution. The research showed that the presented innovative solution is an effective support for the application of digital twins to railway turnouts and ongoing surveying and diagnostic work of other elements of rail transport infrastructure. The applicability of the TgCWRII second temperature difference indicator in the monitoring of railway turnouts was also confirmed.

In rail transport, measuring the actual condition of a circular curve of a railway track is a key element of track position monitoring not only during operation but also during final works. Predicting changes in its position in the horizontal plane is one of the most important related scientific issues. This paper presents the results of measurements performed with an innovative measuring device called the Magnetic-Measuring Square (MMS). The aim of the research was to demonstrate the acceptability of using the MMS. Horizontal versines of a rail track curve were measured as three neighboring points on a curve (using the method of lacing/stringlining, also called the three-point or the Hallade method), and the perpendicularity of rail joints and shortenings were measured. The MMS device presented in this article was used to measure versines and differences in rails lengths (rail shortenings in the curve) in the operating mode involving a laser distance meter with a laser beam (laser power P < 1 mW, laser wavelength λ = 635 nm) with a target cross, a camera, and a surveying measuring disk. The measurement results confirmed that it is possible to employ the MMS to monitor the geometry of railway track fragments such as track transition curves and railway track curves in rail transport.

The turnouts in railway infrastructure constitute bottlenecks, limiting the capacity of the entire railway network. Due to their design and geometry, these turnouts force speed limits. The need to ensure the proper technical condition of turnouts has prompted ongoing scientific research and the use of modern technological solutions. Until now, there have been no tests for the correct location of the geometric center of a double and outside slip turnout with the related geometric relationships. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to demonstrate the position of the geometric centre of a double slip turnout and the geometric conditions of the curves of circular diverted tracks by measuring the horizontal versines and geometric irregularities of turnouts. The application of this surveying method, with reference to obtuse crossings and arising from geometric dependencies in the double and outside slip turnout, is defined and implemented (also known as a method for checking the correct location of the geometric center of a turnout—Surveying and Monitoring of the Geometric Center of a Double and Outside Slip Turnout (SMDOST)) via the Magnetic-Measuring Square (MMS) and electronic Total Station. This method also recommends measuring the horizontal versines of the diverted tracks. This paper presents the results of field measurements using the SMDOST and MMS methods, which were applied to carry out an analysis and evaluation of the turnout geometry conditions, thereby presenting the irregularities that cause turnout deformations. The validity of the SMDOST method using MMS and Total Station was thus confirmed. The observations from the conducted research indicate that neglecting measurements of the geometry of the turnouts resulted in additional irregularities in their conditions.

Railway level crossings (RLCs) in Poland are classified according to their protection systems. Category D, which is a form of passive RLC, aims to ensure safe and efficient operation. Surveying is essential to prepare and control the geometry of the visibility triangles used at RLCs. This article presents a new approach to monitoring the geometry of visibility triangles of RLCs using an electronic total station and a magnetic measuring square (MMS). Its main assumptions are presented together with the application of the innovative measuring instruments. Visibility is demonstrated taking into account the angles of intersection of the road axis with the track axis of the railway line and additional attributes related to the analysis and evaluation of general visibility conditions. The research highlights controversies that have received special attention against the background of the safety status of railway level crossings. As a case study, the RLC located on a single-track railway line in Poland is examined. The final section presents applications of the results obtained according to the proposed methodology. It is shown that the proposed approach is practical and effective. In addition to surveyors, the survey methodology can be used by road and rail traffic engineers and policy makers to further improve traffic safety at RLCs. This is an important global research task.

Der Artikel bezieht sich auf die gegenwärtigen Organisationsstrukturen der Geodäsie und die sie begleitenden organisatorischen Einheiten mit Investitionscharakter auf den Bahngebieten in Polen, die im Investitionsbauprozess von erheblicher Bedeutung sind. Der vorliegende Beitrag erläutert den geltenden Fachwortschatz und die Funktion der Organisationsstrukturen. Es wird dabei hervorgehoben, dass die polnischen Bahngebiete zu den sog. geschlossenen Gebieten gehören. Die Thematik spielt eine wesentliche Rolle im Investitionsprozess für den Bahnverkehr und die Bahninfrastruktur. In den letzten Jahren kamen im Bereich des Bauinvestitionsprozesses für den Bahnverkehr und die Bahninfrastruktur sowie der Funktion der Organisationsstrukturen der Geodäsie, die mit der Gründung der neuen organisatorischen Einheit mit dem Investitionscharakter verbunden war, gravierende Veränderungen zustande. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden die von dem Autor zusammengestellten Erkenntnisse, Fazits und Anmerkungen zu diesem Aspekt vorgestellt. Der Beitrag entstand im Rahmen der Satzungsuntersuchungen Nr. AGH 11.11.150.005. Surveying in construction investment process in the areas of railway in Poland This article applies to current organizational structures of geodesy and its associated units of investment on railway premises in Poland, which play a vital role in building the investment process. Zooms in legal terms and their organizational structures. Attention is drawn to the fact that the railway areas in Poland belong to the so‐called closed areas. This subject plays an important role in the investment process, communication and infrastructure construction. In recent years, Poland experienced a big change in the investment process and transport construction of railway infrastructure and the functioning of the organizational structures of surveying with the appointment of a new organizational unit of investment. The paper presents the author remarks, conclusions and comments. This work was done within the framework of statutory research AGH No. 11.11.150.005.