Railway Badger Activity Challenges – ProRail, Holland

Published on: Nov 25, 2020

Introduction:

In the complex world of railway infrastructure, unexpected challenges often arise from the natural environment. One such challenge is the presence of badger setts and badger activity, which can destabilize railway embankments and pose significant risks to rail operations. This case study explores how ProRail, the Dutch infrastructure owner, tackled this issue of railway badger activity challenges using Railmonitor’s TrackBed³⁶⁰, a real-time track monitoring solution. By understanding the problem and implementing an innovative solution, ProRail successfully ensured the safety and stability of their railway network while protecting the local wildlife.

Challenge: “Unpredictable” Badger Activity

Though rarely seen, badgers are commonly found along the railway network. They often build their homes in embankments and many other areas of railway land. When a badger decides to take up residence, they create setts, which are networks of underground tunnels within the badger’s territory. Typically, setts are excavated in well-drained soil, such as sand, which often creates instability in the ground above and can cause subsidence.

Badgers and their setts are protected from disturbance or destruction under Dutch legislation. This has created significant challenges for the Dutch infrastructure owner, ProRail.

Below the tracks of one of their railways, a badger had built a home, risking sett collapse and potential critical settlement locally. In the worst-case scenario, a collapsed sett can cause passing trains to derail. As removing a badger’s sett is not permitted, ProRail needed another solution.

Due to the risk of collapse, the site was manually inspected twice daily. However, this was neither ideal nor cost-effective for ProRail. Settlements can occur at any time, potentially outside inspection hours, meaning critical settlements might not be detected promptly. You never know with badger activity.

Solution: Implementing Digital Monitoring

Manual inspections, while necessary, were time-consuming and costly. To tackle the challenge effectively, ProRail deployed Railmonitor’s TrackBed³⁶⁰, an advanced railway monitoring solution designed to detect ground instability in real-time. Railmonitor’s Digital Service Platform combines high-precision sensors with machine learning algorithms to continuously monitor and analyze track geometry and embankment integrity.

By leveraging machine learning, the Digital Service Platform not only detects anomalies caused by badger activity but also predicts potential areas of concern before they become critical. This predictive capability enables ProRail to take timely, data-driven actions, enhancing both the safety and reliability of the railway infrastructure.

Furthermore, the intuitive dashboard provides engineers and maintenance teams with automated alerts and actionable insights, streamlining decision-making and ensuring minimal disruption to train services.

Results: Enhanced Safety and Operational Efficiency

In August 2020, Railmonitor’s Software automatically notified Strukton Rail, responsible for track maintenance, of small movements in the track. Upon notification, Strukton Rail and ProRail inspected the site and confirmed minor settlements. Though not alarming, it was crucial to monitor the developments closely.

By closely monitoring the data, Strukton Rail has been able to predict when track alignment will be necessary. Currently, the track has moved about 5 mm, and track adjustment is scheduled for the coming months.

Benefits: Predictive Maintenance

Integrating the TrackBed³⁶⁰ solution into their maintenance work has allowed ProRail and Strukton Rail to ensure the safety of all passing trains on the affected stretch while keeping the badger’s sett intact. This real-time monitoring solution has provided the insights needed to predict and plan maintenance effectively, ensuring the stability and safety of the railway infrastructure. Additionally, the system sends out instant alarms to all relevant personnel if and when preset limits are reached, allowing for prompt action and prevention of critical situations.

About ProRail

ProRail is the Dutch infrastructure operator responsible for maintaining the national railway network.
By implementing TrackBed³⁶⁰, ProRail and Strukton Rail have enhanced their ability to manage and mitigate the challenges posed by natural wildlife habitats along railway lines, maintaining a balance between infrastructure integrity and environmental protection.