What we deliver

Consultancy in the development of railway infrastructure
- Market and demand studies
- Strategic infrastructure development studies
- Passenger or cargo flow studies
- Feasibility studies and cost / benefit analysis
- Alignment and environmental impact assessments, master plan layouts
- Conceptual master plan for the development of surrounding areas
- Management of regional planning and approvals
- Management of conversion processes with public authorities
- Traffic and modal split
- Capacity studies and simulations
- Intermodal hubs
- Consulting, management and support in privatization processes

Project and program management
- Cost estimating and cost management of complex extension programs
- Scheduling / programming
- Organization of client's bidding procedures
- Project management of the design and approval phase
- Construction management and supervision
- Risk management
- Dispute and claim management
- Project and procurement management of the construction phase

Project design and engineering
- Design of overall master plans for (high-speed) railways, mass rail transit systems (MRT's), light rail and their surroundings
- Design of civil works and implementation of railway systems
- Transportation infrastructure for airports and railway connections for industrial and cargo areas
- Design of people movers and underground logistics systems
- Drainage
- Landscape design
- Environmental mitigating measures

Architecture, structural and technical engineering
- Design of new, as well as the refurbishment of existing, station buildings and multimodal public transport hubs
- Design of new, as well as the refurbishment of, existing railway buildings
- Design of workshops, utilities for yards, traffic control centers
- Design of in-house communication systems (wired and wireless)
- Illumination design

Geotechnics and foundation techniques 
ARCADIS' worldwide presence brings extensive geotechnical know-how, the foundation of each project. Expertise in compressive soils, rock tunneling, pile foundations, vacuum consolidation in soft soils and other techniques are necessary for cost-effective solutions. 

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Tunnels
Our expertise includes major rail and metro tunnels. ARCADIS' experience comprises construction techniques such as cut and cover tunnels, immersed tunnels and bored tunnels in soft soils and in rock or the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM). We also provide know-how for electrical and mechanical installations and service buildings. Tunnel safety, ventilation and illumination are specific competencies. Our experience with the design and construction of tunnels ranges from tunnels for high-speed trains, heavy rail, light rail, metro and trams, cars, cyclists or pedestrians with a wide variety of physical constraints (railway lines and stations, highways and other roads and waterways).

Bridges
ARCADIS' conceptual design of the Millau Bridge in France, with a height of 270 meters and a length of 2.5 kilometers — the highest highway bridge in the world, illustrates our high-tech project capabilities. These capabilities also include the design and construction supervision of a variety of bridges and other structures, such as overpasses for rail and road traffic. Our clients are national, provincial and municipal governments and private clients. Bridges or overpasses in complex locations at or near railway stations and railway junctions have been designed to allow phased construction; we are always cognizant of the paramount importance of maintaining train service timetables, minimizing service interruption and providing quality service for travelers or freight transporters.                       

Track
ARCADIS applies state-of-the-art knowledge for new railway lines, metro or tram tracks  and switches, monitoring, maintenance planning and renovation and life cycle optimization. Several specialized software tools for 3D and 4D planning and design, as well as long-term experience, are available to create value for our clients. Managing and supervising implementation in complex situations with tight schedules are common practice.

Power supply
ARCADIS designs, engineers, supervises and manages the implementation of power supply systems (750 volts [V] or 1,500 V and 25 kilovolts [kV]) for traction and traffic control and safety systems on new systems, as well as the modification or upgrading of existing systems. Projects completed include medium voltage distribution systems, rectifiers, direct current distribution systems, central remote control, emergency power systems and distribution systems.
Mechanical specialists design, engineer and supervise installation of overhead wire or catenary systems for high-speed lines, rail yards, (movable) bridges, overpasses, underpasses and tunnels.
Our specialists contribute actively in the research and development of new IT tools. ARCADIS has developed its own advanced planning and simulation tool Xandra™ that facilitates and optimizes defining power supply based on line operation. Also, simulation tools to reproduce the behavior of the pantograph and catenary at various speeds are available.    

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Signaling
ARCADIS specialists are experts in railway signaling projects involving train control and interlocking systems for station and yards. We also have extensive experience in block, European Train Control Systems, European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and systems for level crossings. Our expertise ranges from vital processor, electronic interlocking and bidirectional block systems through traffic engineering and system development. Projects include complete design, engineering, managing implementation and testing and commissioning.

Level crossings
ARCADIS' design activities for level-crossing programs produce high added-value results with efficient and cost-effective approaches. Experience includes level-crossing safety systems, with layouts meeting specific local conditions, such as automatic half-level crossing barriers and automatic flashing light systems based on B-relay technology and automatic or semiautomatic traffic light systems using micro-processor technology.  

Telecom
ARCADIS specialists in telecommunication systems design and engineer cutting–edge, dynamic passenger information systems, train service processors, data/signal transmission for the remote control of stations and yards, bridges and tunnels, level-crossing installations (video, audio and controls), signals, alarms and instructions. Our extensive experience and expertise focus on the design, engineering and installation of ergonomically designed rail traffic control centers.

Safety
Safety is a leading concern as we work daily on projects involving hazardous materials. As a company, we also consult to public- and private-sector clients on social safety, dealing with crime and terror, fire prevention in buildings and even coastal defense issues.
 
In our infrastructure projects, safety is a main issue too. Not only in our supervision of construction work, implementing safety norms and standards, but also during preliminary study phases or the design. We perform risk analyses and safety studies, especially for tunnel projects. The risks and effects must be evaluated and compared to national and international standards and legislation.

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Testing and commissioning
At the final stage of each railway, light rail or metro project, whether new or renovated, or newly implemented subsystem project, such as axle counters or signaling, all systems must be tested and commissioned to guarantee safe operation. ARCADIS has a large team of specialists using high-tech equipment and advanced software, who are highly trained for these activities.  

Simulation and software tools
ARCADIS has developed several simulation and software tools using decennia of railway experience. Some examples.
 
"Xandra" is a simulation tool that focusses on the operation models of a railway network and the interaction of the power supply system. It can for example solve conflicts of train services or verify the power capacity for a planned line or operation model.
 
"€cotrack" is a decision support system for mid and long term planning and optimizing of track maintenance and renewal. Combining historical data of the network with decision rules based on experiences of over 20 european rail infrastructure managers, this system assists in building maintenance scenarios, optimizing maintenance and renewal programming and creating transparency for the long term investments.
 
"CARE- Computer Aided Railway Engineering", developed for efficient engineering of railway signalling under total quality control.                     

Operation and financial modeling
ARCADIS conducts extensive operational and financial studies to determine demand, evaluate scenarios and review different solutions for developing any new passenger or cargo rail link. Using these study results, political and entrepreneurial decisions can be made so that projects are feasible and add value to society and investors.

Rolling stock
One of the major investments for any railway operator is rolling stock. A thorough evaluation of the requirements for rolling stock, optimization of offered capacity related to investments, operation and maintenance costs and the Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety (RAMS) methodology can make the difference in creating a feasible project.   

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Maintenance and asset management
The development and construction of infrastructure requires major investments. Accumulated costs of maintenance during the operational use of this infrastructure are much higher however – a good reason for responsible asset management. ARCADIS has not only the technical expertise but also several methodologies and tools to create added value, such as Ecotrack™, a system specifically designed for railway maintenance applications.

RAMS/Systems Engineering, Value Engineering
For any railway manager, RAMS are key management tools. ARCADIS has extensive experience in applying a range of tailored methodologies such as systems engineering during design or maintenance phases to ensure an optimal RAMS balance.      

Railway buildings and Architecture
ARCADIS' experience with railway-related buildings includes the development, architectural design and structural design of new railway stations and suburban stops; the rehabilitation and modernization of existing railway stations, railroad workshops, depots and traffic control buildings and the redevelopment or revitalization of urban areas in which railway stations are located. Specific services include architectural design, structural engineering, technical installations, construction supervision, project management and property development.

Railway renovation and upgrading
Renovation and upgrading projects are logistically complex and need to be planned carefully so train services are not disrupted. Safety is crucial, as are staying within budget and meeting project requirements. ARCADIS offers proven experience in these types of projects that require strong design and project management capabilities.                       

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Site remediation
Environmental issues are not limited to industry. Railway owners and operators may also face serious environmental concerns from past or present operations. Issues include polluted ballast, maintenance workshops, fuel stations, wooden sleeper production sites or accidental spills related to regular operations, such as the transportation of hazardous materials. Many of these issues may constitute liabilities on the balance sheet of railway owners or operators. ARCADIS is a leader in providing the most cost-effective solution for environmental issues, accepting the risk and guaranteeing the result.

Spatial information, GIS and digital terrain models
New project development and good asset management require exact information about all of the physical and environmental data involved in these projects. ARCADIS provides a wide array of data collection products, including aerial photogrammetry, land surveying, digital terrain modeling and GIS based systems. These products are stand-alone or integrated technologies that offer the best insight and control over operations and investments.                   

Public-Private Partnerships
Tight public funding may require railway owners and operators to look for private-sector funding to meet their investment goals. Railway owners and operators may benefit from the increasing interest of the financial community to invest in assets that deliver a long-term guaranteed return. ARCADIS can identify and scope the possibilities for PPPs, assess the value of assets and structure the outsourcing of operations to private parties. In addition, the company can play a role in the formation of PPP and BOT projects, bringing engineering expertise within Consortiums, and even taking the lead in new project developments.

Project phases 
- Program management
- Program of requirements
- Financial and operational evaluation / value engineering
- Demand studies and transport economy
- Feasibility studies
- Preliminary studies and design
- Environmental impact assessment
- Basic design
- Bid documents and specifications
- Detailed design
- Technical assistance
- Construction supervision
- Cost management
- Contract management

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