Varifocal lenses from Rainbow CCTV are being used on the Irish rail network by the country’s railway authority Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail).
As part of its “On Track” initiative the authority is investing over EUR1.3 billion in its service with co-funding from the Irish Government under the National Development Plan. There is also financial involvement from the European Union.
Many of the Rainbow units have been installed at level crossings. The lenses are operating with 1/2" day/night cameras. Recording is to DVRs and all the components in the system need to function in challenging conditions involving significant dust and vibration.
The project consultant is Mr Des Carrick of converge.ie, formerly managing director of NTSC. He said: “The lenses were chosen for this project because they not only give high resolution images but bring a flexibility to the application. Rainbow gave us the quality we wanted at a price that was attractive.”
Converge.ie combines CCTV distribution with systems-based solutions on major infrastructure projects. The company is closely involved with the training of the end-user’s engineers on all its installations.
The “On Track” programme involves station renovation and reconstruction, new carriages on the company’s InterCity and suburban services as well as bridge renewals and signaling improvements across Ireland.
About the lenses
With a focal length of 8.5-85mm these lenses are more correctly referred to as ‘vari-zoom.’ Rainbow vari-zooms give zoom lens performance while offering cost benefits over traditional zoom lens.
The 1/2” model used on this application is direct drive with an F1.6~F360 iris and built-in ND spot filter. It is also compatible with 1/3” and 1/4” cameras. The lens accommodates varying light levels as well as offering added depth and width through the focal length variant. The flexibility of the lens complements the broad functionality of the Iarnród Éireann application.
