Machine Control improves on site productivity

The trimble GCS900 3D machine control system is being used on a D5N Caterpillar Dozer in the construction of Network Rail's £350 million (€520 million) Trent Valley Four Tracking Project (TV4) in the UK.

Buckingham Group Contracting, one of the companies behind the track work, selected the system which includes dual Trimble MS990 integrated GPS receivers and antenna and a CB430 control box for the cab.

Buckingham's site agent David Mainwaring said, “Previously we would have carried out this track work using a combination of total stations and laser control, either using traditional setting out techniques or more recently, machine guidance methods. Due to the layout of the site, a 15km long, 20m wide work strip, these techniques would have meant many hours of engineering input in setting up and moving instrumentation in order to progress ballast on a number of fronts.”

However, he said by using the Trimble GCS900 grade control system, the company could have a number of machines working with just one base station enabling the engineering team to spend more time maintaining quality control.