Since launching our corridor visualisation and analytics platform, XERRA, we’ve worked closely with rail professionals to ensure the platform continues to meet the needs of railway projects. And as rail operations evolve — with tighter timeframes, limited corridor access, and rising safety standards — XERRA continues to adapt and change to meet new requirements.

To better understand how the platform is being used, we recently gathered feedback from users working in track protection, inspections, and project planning. Their experiences highlight what XERRA helps them achieve — not just technically, but also practically.

Here is what one user had to say about how XERRA can help with worksite planning: “XERRA allows me to determine the suitability of areas to start/finish Track Protection, as well identify locations for Track Protection Staff to access safely.”

Regarding general productivity improvements, XERRA gives time back to rail professionals. Here is what another user had to say: “It would be incredibly inconvenient to do my job without it. Something that would take a minute to check could take up to 2 hours depending on location to drive out to site and examine the structure. Plus, there may also be safe working costs and planning involved”.

The advantage of accessing high resolution LiDAR and imagery datasets through XERRA is that you can always go back to the same location again and again to observe a condition for your current project need. This is what a user said would likely happen without XERRA: “More site visits might be required for each project and loads of photos would have to be taken during site visit. Hard to estimate how much extra time would be required in total, I would assume on average might be 1–2hrs per day.”

These kinds of insights are exactly why we continue to refine the XERRA experience. From saving time on projects to reducing reliance on manual processes, we’re proud to support rail professionals doing critical work — and we’ll keep listening to ensure the platform keeps delivering where it matters most.