Overhead rail line catenary system design in OpenRail Overhead Line Designer, showing dual cantilever supports on a red steel mast with power cables.

OpenRail Overhead Line Designer

Starting at

$20,357.00 USD

Overhead line and catenary design software

Purchase OpenRail Overhead Line Designer

BENEFITS

Design & analyze OLE and catenary systems

OpenRail Overhead Line Designer supports 3D design, analysis, and documentation for rail overhead line systems.
Detailed engineering CAD model of a railway overhead catenary line bracket in OpenRail Overhead Line Designer, showing mechanical cantilevers and insulators on a red steel mast.

  • Streamline overhead line design workflows

    Accelerate design with a unified software that manages everything from mast placement and wiring to clearance analysis and construction documentation. 

  • Improve electrification design accuracy

    Leverage a data-rich 3D environment to perform detailed clearance analysis, detect clashes, and ensure your design complies with all project standards.

  • Reduce drafting time and rework

    Automate the generation of plans, profiles, and reports directly from your 3D model, ensuring all deliverables are consistent with the latest design.

PRICING OPTIONS

Exclusive pricing options

OpenRail Overhead Line Designer

Rail network design software for overhead lines

Starting at

$20,357.00 USD

12-month Virtuoso subscription

Includes 1 license and 1 Key for training or services

  • Manage the entire OLE design process, from mast placement and wiring to clearance analysis and documentation
  • Avoid workarounds with a specialized BIM application designed specifically for OLE and catenary systems
  • Automatically produce plans, profiles, and other construction deliverables directly from your 3D model
  • Works seamlessly within the OpenRail ecosystem, providing a complete, multidisciplinary rail design solution

More details

OLE design & layout  

  • Design and model complex overhead line and catenary systems in 3D 
  • Automate mast and foundation placement using design rules 
  • Manage customizable catenary component libraries 

Analysis & validation 

  • Perform clearance analysis against tracks and structures 
  • Conduct sag and tension analysis under different temperature and load conditions
  • Detect and resolve clashes between OLE components and other rail infrastructure assets 

Documentation & reporting 

  • Automate the creation of layout plans, cross-sections, and profile drawings
  • Generate detailed bills of materials and quantity takeoff reports 
  • Produce data-rich 3D models for handover to construction and operations 

Processor: Intel® Pentium®-based or AMD Athlon®-based processor 2.5 GHz or greater.  

Operating System: Windows 11 (64-bit)  

Memory: 16 GB minimum 32 GB recommended   

Disk Space: Minimum 25 GB of hard disk space or 42 GB disk space if additional companion applications included.  

Display: 1 GB of video RAM is recommended  

FAQS

Find answers

OpenRail Overhead Line Designer is a specialized BIM software used for the 3D design, analysis, and documentation of overhead line electrification (OLE) and catenary systems for rail and transit networks. It provides a comprehensive set of tools to manage the entire OLE design workflow within a single, unified environment. 

Yes, OpenRail Overhead Line Designer can be used as a standalone application. However, it is built on the same platform as OpenRail Designer and functions seamlessly within it, creating a complete, multidisciplinary rail design solution when used together. 

The software can perform several critical analyses for OLE design. This includes detailed clearance analysis to ensure safety standards are met, sag and tension calculations for wiring under various environmental conditions, and clash detection to identify and resolve conflicts between OLE components and other infrastructure assets early in the design process. 

OpenRail Overhead Line Designer runs on a 64-bit Windows operating system. For the best performance with complex 3D catenary models, we recommend a workstation with at least 32 GB of RAM, a modern multi-core processor, and a dedicated graphics card with a minimum of 8 GB of VRAM. For the most up-to-date hardware recommendations, please consult the official documentation on the Bentley Communities website. 

OpenRail Overhead Line Designer is a key digital twin authoring tool for rail electrification projects. It creates a data-rich 3D model that contains not just the physical geometry of masts and wires, but also essential engineering information and asset data. This intelligent model serves as the foundation for a comprehensive digital twin, enabling advanced analysis, 4D construction sequencing, and providing valuable data for operational and asset management systems. 

Overhead line design software is a specialized BIM tool used to design, model, and analyze the electrification systems for rail and transit networks. It includes tools for the 3D modeling of masts, foundations, and wires, and for performing critical analyses like clearance checks, and sag and tension calculations. Software like OpenRail Overhead Line Designer help engineers automate the design process, ensure the system complies with all safety standards, and automatically generate the necessary construction documentation. 

OpenRail Overhead Line Designer supports digital twin workflows by acting as a digital twin authoring application. It creates an intelligent, data-rich 3D model of the entire overhead line electrification system, which serves as the foundation for a comprehensive digital twin.

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