Alternative XML format

Dear users,

Our main contracter ProRail has defined a new file format to describes designs, called IMX. I used to export my alignments to LandXML and convert it to the desired file format (TRC - a ascii format). The new format is based on GML and RailML.

The main differences between LandXML and IMX:

- LandXML has 3 main nodes: CoordGeom (horizontal design), Profile (vertical design) and Cant (cant and speed).

- IMX has 3 main nodes: HorizontalStraightPath, HorizontalCurve and HorizontalTransition), every node has 3 sub-nodes: VerticalAlignment, CantValues and DesignSpeedValues.

Vertical design runs from start station to end station of a horizontal element. This means that a horizontal element can contain several vertical elements and several vertical elements are cut up at horizontal station points. That means the height of an alignment at a horizontal tangent has to be determined as well.

Is there a option in Rail Track to define a specific XML export format? I mean, all the data I need in the file is available in Rail Track.

Yours sincerely,

Wess Wesselink

Rail designer at Sweco Netherlands

  • It should be possible to create it using geometry report and XSL sheet



  • Ik looks like it could be done this way. That means I have to examine different XSL files to find out how to extract specific point data (the relation between horizontal and vertical tangent points).

    If I manage to pull this off, the next challenge will be to add turnouts to the XML. At the locations of the turnouts the alignment has to be cut out and placed in another node called Junctions. This means there will be three alignments, one before the turnout, one at the turnout and one behind the turnout. At the end there will be a connection node, connection the three alignments together. No, four (or more) alignments; the diverging track has to be connected too.