BOS - an overhead line design system

A large percentage of the Dutch rail infrastructure is electrified using a 1500 V overhead line system. Design and detailing of both the supporting structure and the overhead line itself are carried out using BOS (Bovenleiding Ontwerp Systeem, or Overhead Line Design System), along with a number of calculation programs. BOS is a 3D design package that helps designers of supporting structures and overhead lines with the design and verification of overhead line design data at various stages of the design process. At the preliminary design stage, BOS operates at a global level, helping the designer create the layout plan and the alignment of the overhead. At the specification phase, the system works at a higher level of detail, producing cross-sections, bills of quantities and earth-moving tables. The component-based architecture of BOS makes it readily expandable, allowing adaptation to changing customer requirements. This could involve taking in such features as the UK rail infrastructure, 25 kV lines in the Netherlands (and elsewhere) and the production of a detailed bill of materials fora contractor. This paper gives an overview of BOS' capabilities and design.