Connected to Europe – building the infrastructure megaproject Rail Baltica

In recent years, the Baltic countries have taken big leaps with digitalization in many fields. Estonia, for example, is celebrated as the most advanced digital society in the world, thanks to its highly digital government services. As many of the local construction contractors also work in Finland, the next logical and attractive step for them is to start using advanced Nordic infra construction technology. So far, the user feedback has been very positive – the Finnish Xsite is reliable and works in extreme conditions.

Tõnis Vään, Managing Director of Infratugi OÜ, the official Xsite Reseller in Estonia, is pleased to offer reliable Nordic digital civil engineering solutions on the Estonian market.

“I have represented Novatron’s Xsite machine control systems in Estonia since 2021. Currently, we have dozens of systems working around the country, from big infra construction sites to the most common rural ones”, he tells.

Currently, there are four Verston’s excavators using Novatron’s Xsite PRO 3D machine control systems at Rail Baltica construction site. The interoperability between a machine control system and cloud service enables an efficient infra construction project.

“Xsite machine control systems can be selected based on needs. In Estonia, the most common system at the moment is full Xsite PRO 3D for excavator with LANDNOVA X software, 90% of all customers are using this. There are also some Xsite PRO 2D systems for excavator with EL3 laser receivers, which can be easily upgraded to full Xsite 3D systems”, Vään tells.

“When a customer decides to upgrade their Xsite PRO 2D to full Xsite PRO 3D system, it’s easy: there’s no need to change any 2D hardware components – just add extra 3D hardware, licenses and a software upgrade”, Vään tells.

“Also, Xsite systems are very logical and simple to use. You don’t need to be an engineer or to have a technical education, to be able to use the system in a few minutes”, he adds.

“If machine operator is a beginner and starts to use Xsite, a remote-control tool provides extra comfort. It makes it possible for the local dealer and service provider to support and help them directly on the system screen”, Vään tells.

“Xsite systems are very logical and simple to use. You don’t need to be an engineer or to have a technical education, to be able to use the system in a few minutes”, Tõnis Vään, Managing Director of Infratugi OÜ, tells.

Xsite system allows the use of large background drawings

“Xsite’s software makes possible to use large background drawings. This is good when it’s necessary to get a better overview of an object. If the operator needs to use active lines, points and objects, it’s wise to use very detailed drawings”, Vään says.

“The main thing is that the machine operator typically wants a relatively small screen with maximum information. This means that the drawings and models loaded into machine’s control system must be “clean” and as easy to read as possible. Xsite provides just that”, Vään says.

“According to feedback, Xsite’s software is compatible with most common file formats in the industry. There is no need to use any specific ones, and this saves a lot of time and effort”, Vään tells.

Xsite system also supports various Autodesk softwares and cloud services, including Xsite MANAGE cloud service and Infrakit.

“According to feedback, Xsite’s software is compatible with most common file formats in the industry. There is no need to use any specific ones, and this saves a lot of time and effort”, Vään tells.

“In my opinion, one of the most important developments in infrastructure is the use of cloud services”, Vään says.

“It is not efficient to use USB sticks on sites to load projects into machines 3D systems, especially if we are talking about large sites, with many machines and long distances. Cloud service usage can be on very different levels. I definitely recommend using it as minimum for loading construction drawings and models to machines”, Vään says.

Constructing Rail Baltica – Estonia’s future connection to Europe

In September 2024, Verston Eesti OÜ, the Estonian part of Verston Group and Europe’s leading sustainable infrastructure construction and maintenance company, won their fourth tender for a section of Rail Baltica – this time for a route between Soodevahe and Kangru in Rae Parish. The tender was a joint bid together with engineering company
Järelpinge Inseneribüroo OÜ.

This latest rail section is one of the most unique sections of the route in terms of construction – it is the only part of the railway where the train will travel in a trench that varies in width from 55 to 75 meters and runs up to 10 meters below ground level for a total of five kilometers. The trench resembles the Lasnamäe canal, with natural limestone walls rising on both sides of the track. The railway also passes under Põrguvälja Road, where Verston already built technical systems and a viaduct in November.

Completing this part of Rail Baltica will require very close cooperation between all parties involved. A modern way of working together in an infrastructure project Open Building Information Modelling (openBIM) is a way of working together in an infrastructure construction project. It includes open standards and a workflow for creating and managing all the information on a construction project. In a fully digitalized model-based construction the work can be conducted together in real-time by the infrastructure designer, work machine operator, the worksite manager and project management. This requires the use of openBIM, 3D machine control system and cloud service.

Miina Karafin is the Head of Digitalization and BIM at Verston Eesti OÜ.

“Using BIM models in large-scale infrastructure projects is essential for ensuring data consistency, optimizing workflows and enhancing collaboration among stakeholders. High-quality data shared from design to construction — even down to each machine on-site — unlocks new opportunities in the sector. With 3D data, and the use of modern technologies, we can easily validate as-built works, significantly improving the accuracy of planning and execution.”

Currently, there are four Verston’s excavators using Novatron’s Xsite PRO 3D machine control systems at Rail Baltica construction site. The interoperability between a machine control system and cloud service enables an efficient infra construction project.

When it comes to big projects, like Rail Baltica, it’s important that the machine operator can see and understand complex drawings quickly and easily.

“With Xsite, the operator can fully focus on their work”, Vään says.

“When using modern digital tools the work goes faster and becomes more sustainable. This is very important for both small and major infrastructure builders”, Vään concludes.

Rail Baltica is a greenfield rail transport infrastructure project with a goal to integrate the Baltic States in the European rail network. The project includes five European Union countries – Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and indirectly also Finland. It will connect Helsinki, Tallinn, Pärnu, Riga, Panevežys, Kaunas, Vilnius, Warsaw.