scope:

Users of Bentley Power Rail Track software and/or customers of Network Rail's contractors who are users of Bentley Power Rail Track software.

Purpose

To inform Network Rail staff that:

The track design software Bentley Power Rail Track (PRT), used as the default track design tool across the rail industry, has been superseded by Bentley OpenRail Designer (ORD). ORD is still undergoing development as it currently lacks some of the functionality required for use on UK rail infrastructure, which introduces additional risk to design delivery.

In the interim, PRT is continuing to be used, but is no longer supported and is therefore more susceptible to cyber security threats. Although the risk of cyber-attack is low, an occurrence could result in design houses withdrawing PRT with immediate effect, which would affect design delivery and introduce delay proportional to the size and complexity of the design scheme.

There is an industry-wide working group currently developing ORD so that it meets the requirements for use on UK rail infrastructure. The working group is in its infancy and timescales are still to be determined on when the software will be suitably developed to meet requirements.