OpenRail Designer CONNECT Edition

Rail

Cant

Rails

Rail Electrification

Note: Select a link to "jump" to the desired Rail group.

Rail tab

This help provides reference information on rail specific tools. The following main topic areas are provided.

Regression

Regression group

Setting	Description
Import Points	Imports horizontal geometry points from an ASCII file via a text wizard.
Create Regression Line	Regression Line from Points - Takes a set of points and puts them into a proper order creating a linestring (regression line). Regression Line from Line - Creates regression line from a 3D linestring. Regression Line from Rails - Creates horizontal centerline geometry from selected left and right rail alignments. Rail Line from Points - Creates a Regression Line from Rail Points for use in Regression Line from Rails. Add Points to Regression Line - Adds horizontal Regression Points to an existing Regression Line.
Curvature Diagram	Horizontal Curvature Diagram - This tool displays a diagram representing curvature along the path of regression points in a horizontal alignment. Vertical Curvature Diagram - This tool displays a diagram representing curvature along the path of regression points in a vertical alignment.
Horizontal Regression	Single Horizontal Regression - Creates a single horizontal geometry element that is a "best fit" to a set of regression points. Quick Horizontal Regression - Makes an initial best guess of all elements (line, circular arc and transition spirals). Calculate Horizontal Slew - Displays a graph that represents the horizontal offset between regression points and the horizontal alignment or regressed element. Reset Slew Values - Resets/removes existing slew values to 0.00 for recalculation. Resets slew graphic representation.
Create Profile	Create Profile from Regression Line - Creates vertical geometry using the regression line profile. Create Profile from Rails - Creates vertical geometry using left and right rail elevations. Add Points to Regression Line - Adds horizontal Regression Points to an existing Regression Line.
Vertical Regression	Single Vertical Regression - Creates a single vertical geometry element that is a "best fit" to a set of regression points. Quick Vertical Regression - Makes an initial best guess of all elements (line, arcs). Calculate Vertical Slew - Displays lifts and lowers between a profile element and profile regression line.
Geometry Tools	Complex by Element - Used to construct a complex element of previously placed elements. Define Profile By Best Fit - Used to construct a profile complex defined by best fitting through a selected profile. Open Profile Model - Used to generate a View that presents a desired feature in profile thus enabling the Vertical Geometry tools to interact with the chosen feature. Single Element Nudge - Allows the user to move or nudge a single element in a complex geometry. Geometry Connector - Combines multi-element connect, multi-element regression tools and connection editor into one tool.
Spirals	Complex Spiral Between - Automatically defines spirals in multiple gaps along the selected complex geometry. Spiral from Element - Used to construct a spiral from a previously places element, using this base element to determine tangency at one end. Spiral Between Element - Used to construct a spiral (or spirals) between two base elements that determine tangency.
Reports	Horizontal Regression Report - Creates a Horizontal Regression Report. Vertical Regression Report - Creates a Vertical Regression Report.

Cant

Cant group

Setting	Description
Speed Table	Speed Table - Creates speed table for the selected alignment. Copy Speed Table - Displays lifts and lowers between a profile element and profile regression line. Import Speed Table - Imports a speed table from a specified text file.
Create Cant	Calculates Cant (Rail Superelevation) based on the horizontal alignment.
Create Projected Cant	Creates an orthogonally projected cant from a computed cant onto a secondary alignment. Note: Project Cant cannot be edited using the Edit Cant tool.
Assign Cant to Corridor	Provides an automated mechanism to assign Vertical (Cant) point controls to a rail design corridor.
Edit Cant	Opens Cant Editor. Using the cant editor you can see the calculated cant and can change the applied cant value.
Cant Report	Displays the Cant Report in the Bentley Civil Report Browser.

Turnouts

Turnouts group

Places single and double turnouts, places diamond, single and double slip crossings , between 2 parallel tracks.

Setting	Description
Place Turnout	Places single or double turnout.
Place Crossing	Places crossing.
Extend Turnout	Extend Turnout by Line - Adds a separate ruled Line from the Turnout. Extend Turnout by Curve - Adds a separate ruled Curve from the Turnout.
Add to Profile	Used to add turnouts to the profile.
Turnout Report	Displays the Turnout Report in the Bentley Civil Report Browser.

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous group

Creates rails, sleepers, coach sweep, and places coaches.

Setting	Description
Sweep Envelope	Place Coach - Places a Coach. Create Coach Sweep - Calculates approximate corridor swept by rolling stock represented by single coach.
Place Clearance Point	Places a point object between two rail geometries where the offset value for both rail geometries is fulfilled.
Signal Sighting	Edit Signal Model - Allows the creation of a new DGN containing furniture, or the editing of the definition of an existing piece of furniture. Place Signal - Places Signals. Edit Signal Properties - Opens the Edit Signal Properties dialog. Import/Export Signals - Allows the user to import or export a comma separated text file listing the furniture items in the project.
LV Assets	Place Equipment - Places an equipment in the Plan View or the Schematic View. Place Trench - Places a trench. Place Cable - Places a cable (Line or Line String Element) between two Equipments in the Plan View (only). Create Trench from Geometry - Creates a trench that follows a geometry. Update Railway Schematic View - Refreshes the Schematic View after Low Voltage Assets are added.
Open Design Calculator	Allows you to do cant based calculations.

Rail Topology

Rail Topology group

Setting	Description
Create Topology	Railway - Creates a topological model from the selected geometry. Pathway Route - Defines a wire path view of the geometry which can then be used for placing masts, catenaries and other objects. Edge Segment - Adds segments to a selected edge to define the edge's range.
Topology Tools	Import Rail Equipment - Allows the user to import equipment such as signal locations from products like ContextCapture, including point or cell readings of signal locations. Synchronize Railway - Updates the topological model.
Schematic View	Open Railway Schematic View - Creates a schematic view based on a selected edge in the topology model. Reset - Allows the user to reset and update the schematic view if any changes have been made to the base topology model. Update Railway Schematic View - Refreshes the Schematic View after Low Voltage Assets are added. Add manipulator on edge - Allows you to add a manipulator to an edge in the Schematic View. Remove manipulators on edge - Allows you to remove manipulators from an edge in the Schematic View. Mirror Edges - Allows the user to change locations of, for example, two siding tracks. Round Schema Edge Corners - Allows the user to construct a fillet where there is a break-point on an Edge.
EDI Import/Export	Import EDI - Imports the geometry and topology from Entegro Data File (.edi) format. Export EDI - Exports all the topology found in the model as Entegro Data File (.edi) file format.

Rails

Rails group

Setting	Description
Rail and Sleepers	Create Rails - Creates rails, different rail geometry and models. Create Sleepers - Creates sleepers.
Joints	Create Joints - Allows the user to create joints using a fixed length or a maximum length table. Create Joint - Allows the user to place a single rail joint on the selected rail track. Create Distance Keepers - Allows you to create distance keepers for a selected start point and end point in a rail track.
Rail Report	Generates and displays a report on Rails from the Create Rails command.

Rail Electrification

Rail Electrification group

Setting	Description
Reference Lines	Place Single Reference Line - Places a single reference line. Place Multiple Reference Lines - Places multiple reference lines. Edit Reference Line - Manipulates reference lines in bulk.
Wire Runs	Place Wire Run - Places one wire run or more between the selected reference lines. Edit Wire Run - Allows editing points in a wire run in bulk. Display WirePath Profile - Creates a Profile view of a Wire Run. Add Overlap - Creates a Rail Electrification overlap section.