Disciplines and Object Types
RailCOMPLETE is not a single-discipline tool. A national DNA typically covers all the engineering disciplines involved in railway infrastructure planning. Each discipline gets its own partial BIM model (a separate DWG file) that cross-references the shared track model and other disciplines’ models via AutoCAD’s XRef mechanism.
This enables parallel planning: as soon as a sketch of a track model emerges, signalling, electrification, earthing, and other disciplines can start working simultaneously, cross-referencing each other’s models and exchanging problems and solutions daily.
Typical disciplines and object types
The following table shows the disciplines and typical object types declared in the Norwegian DNA for Bane NOR. Other national DNAs will differ based on local standards, but the structure is similar.
| Discipline | Typical object types |
|---|---|
| Common | Areas, markers, proxy objects, auxiliary lines, tables |
| Track | Superstructure – track alignments, buffer stops, platform edges |
| Civil Works | Substructure – foundations, cable ducts |
| Signalling | Optical signals, track circuits, axle counters, point machines, derailers, ATP balises, ETCS marker boards and balises |
| Electrification | Overhead catenary system |
| Low power | Lighting, switch heating, 230 VAC |
| Boards & Poles | Towards train drivers, towards maintenance personnel, towards 3rd person |
Scale
The Norwegian DNA alone declares more than 150 object type declarations, most with multiple variants. A variant represents a specific configuration of an object type — for example, a main signal might have variants for 2-aspect, 3-aspect, and 4-aspect configurations, each with different 2D symbols and default property values.
How disciplines interact
Cross-referencing (XRef)
Each discipline creates its partial model in a separate DWG file, using the track model as a read-only cross-reference. Disciplines can also cross-reference each other:
- The signalling model XRefs the electrification model to check signal placement against overhead line poles and sighting obstructions
- The earthing model XRefs all other disciplines to create an interdisciplinary earthing plan
- The common model XRefs everything to produce combined plan views
Earthing as an interdisciplinary example
Most objects possess an “earthing method” property set by the discipline’s planner to one of: Rail, Earthing conductor, Other object, or None. The RC earthing assistant then searches for the closest object that fulfills the earthing preferences, draws all earthing connection graphics, and computes the project’s customised earthing table. At delivery deadlines, the earthing planner refreshes graphics and tables with a short series of commands and reprints the PDFs — dramatically improving planning time and quality.
Stages and construction phases
DNA layer names encode construction stages. The RC Stage Manager analyzes every DWG layer (including XRef layers) and switches hundreds of layers on or off to reflect the chosen construction phase. Non-RC items made in other tools are switched on and off as well.
Object type capabilities
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Default property values | Pre-filled values when the object is created |
| Multiple variants | Different configurations with different symbols and defaults |
| 2D symbols | Graphic representations in plan views (DWG files) |
| 3D geometry | Geometrical representations for 3D export and visualization |
| Snap points (Jig) | Defines how the object docks to alignments and other objects |
| Model checks | Lua-based validation rules (OK / Warning / Error) |
| Insertion presets | Pre-configured templates for common placement scenarios |
| Custom properties | Domain-specific attributes with formulas, enumerations, and overrides |
| Relations | Typed connections to other object types with cardinality rules |
| Lua automation | Scripts for property computation, placement, and data extraction |
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