Case Study: SNCF Innovation

SNCF Innovation set out in 2022 to change how train roof inspections are carried out. The two-year project developed a wheel-mounted automatic inspection system built around a PTZ camera, replacing heavy telescopic poles and scaffolding with a lightweight, non-conductive composite mast that a single operator can deploy safely from ground level. At the centre of the design sits a 4m Rolatube System 50 BRC mast, custom-developed to meet the specific demands of high-voltage rail maintenance.

About the SNCF Innovation Project

The SNCF Innovation project focused on automating train roof inspections using a PTZ camera to inspect train tops and electrical systems. Rather than sending maintenance crews up onto the roof, the system positions a camera at height from the safety of trackside, letting a single operator conduct the inspection remotely. After two years of development, the project delivered a fully operational solution now in real-world use.

The Operational Context

Traditional train roof inspection methods place a heavy demand on maintenance teams. Heavy metal poles and scaffolding are physically straining to move, slow to set up, and expose operators to serious injury risk. The greater concern sits above the train itself: the high-voltage overhead lines that carry the traction supply. Any equipment used near those lines has to be non-conductive without exception, and any process that puts a maintenance worker in close proximity to them carries risk.

The SNCF Innovation project set out to remove those risks. What the team needed was a structural mast that was completely non-conductive, lightweight enough for a single operator to handle, and easy to deploy from ground level across the rough terrain that surrounds working rail infrastructure.

SNCF Innovation train roof inspection trolley with Rolatube System 50 BRC mast in its automated cage — The SNCF Innovation inspection trolley: a 4m Rolatube System 50 BRC mast in its automated cage, mounted on a wheeled, single-operator platform.

The Rolatube Configuration

Working with SNCF Innovation, Rolatube supplied a configuration built around a single, purpose-designed mast made from unique and patented Bi-stable Reeled Composite (BRC) technology:

4m System 50 BRC mast
Custom-designed composite specified to be non-absorbent and non-conductive
Automated cage system for deployment
Internal foam dampers to reduce oscillations
Tensioned polyamide wires to improve torsional stability

Rolatube’s contribution to the project spanned material expertise, waterproofing for safety in high-voltage environments, and the development and refinement of the tube design to meet SNCF’s specific requirements.

Close-up of the Rolatube System 50 Bi-stable Reeled Composite mast coiled in its automated deployment cage — The System 50 BRC mast coils flat inside its automated cage, driven out to full height by a motor and retracted just as quickly.

Configurations in the Field

The 4m System 50 BRC mast is fitted into an automated cage on a wheeled trolley, giving the whole system a single-operator deployment from ground level. A PTZ camera and an electric box sit on top of the mast at a combined 3kg, positioned high enough for the operator to inspect train tops and electrical systems without leaving the safety of the trackside.

Rolatube 4m composite mast deployed trackside, raising a PTZ camera above an SNCF locomotive for roof inspection — Deployed: the 4m mast raises the PTZ camera above roof height from the safety of the trackside.

SNCF Innovation inspection trolley with Rolatube mast retracted, beside a CAPTRAIN freight locomotive — Retracted: the trolley in use beside a CAPTRAIN freight locomotive, ready to be wheeled across rough trackside terrain.

Two refinements added during the two-year development improved user experience, safety, and stability in strong winds. Internal foam dampers reduce oscillations in the deployed mast, and tensioned polyamide wires improve torsional stability. Together with the composite’s non-conductive, non-absorbent construction, the system delivers a portable, wind-stable inspection platform that keeps the operator safely at a distance from the train and the electric lines above it.

Why It Works for SNCF Innovation

For SNCF Innovation, three benefits stand out.

The first is safety. A non-conductive composite mast deployed remotely from ground level removes the two main risks that manual roof inspections carry: physical strain from moving heavy equipment, and close-proximity work near high-voltage overhead lines. Waterproofing the composite adds another layer of safety in high-voltage environments.

The second is portability. Rolatube’s lightweight, compact, and easily deployable composite tubes replaced the heavy telescopic poles that SNCF had been using, reducing strain on maintenance teams while maintaining inspection efficiency. The rough terrain around working rail infrastructure is easier to cross with lighter kit.

The third is stability. The custom-developed composite, combined with foam dampers and tensioned polyamide wires, delivers the wind-stable behaviour a camera platform needs to record usable footage in real operating conditions.

A Safer Approach to Rail Maintenance

The SNCF Innovation and Rolatube collaboration delivered a practical, efficient, and safer solution for train roof inspections, setting a new standard in railway maintenance technology. CAPTRAIN, a commercial freight operator in France, has since adopted the system for industrial use, with four units now in operation and proving the design’s effectiveness in real-world railway maintenance.

For more on how Rolatube’s BRC composite technology supports industrial customers with custom-designed inspection and monitoring solutions, get in touch or explore our masts and tripods.