An intercompany dispatch support system for intermodal transport chains

A critical problem in an intermodal transport chain is the direct meet at the transhipment nodes. This requires information technology and modern communication facilities as well as much closer collaboration between all the concerned transport operators in the chain. The TELETRUCK system - currently under development at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz DFKI GmbH) - is a dispatch support system that tackles those problems. Intercompany planning, scheduling, and monitoring of intermodal transport chains will be supported by our system. It aims at providing smooth access to railway time tables and rail-based transport services and - much more important - at allowing for the planning of both, exclusively road-based and combined journeys and showing their cost-effectiveness, where- and whenever possible. We will describe our approach - based on intelligent agent technology - both the current state of implementation and our goal of the very next future

Significance of Trans-European Transport Networks for Logistics Centre Localization as Exemplified by the Łódź Region

This work complements and structures knowledge in the field of logistics centres (with focus on the Łódź region). It presents a thorough analysis of strategic documents of the European Union in reference to the functioning of international transport networks. It also provides a detailed description of logistics facilities operations from the theoretical standpoint and definition of relations in points where logistics centres and TEN-T networks overlap. The result of this work is a set of recommendations referring to effective development of logistics centres on the background of transport corridors

The concept of intermodal network development in Poland using multi-agent systems

The market share and the development of intermodal haulages, they are still at a very low level. It amounts in total goods transported by rail to 2,5% - 3%. The major reason for this situation is lack of coherent method for intermodal network designing. Such method should take into consideration strong relations between transport users, transport service providers, so the micro scale, as well as the regions where they are operating, so the meta scale.The aim of this paper is to present method which makes possible elimination of existing barriers in intermodal transport. The proposed method, for the sake of relations between actors involved in intermodal transport organisation, refers to multi-agent system concept. This system assumes coordinated actions in favour of concrete problem solution with support of cooperating agents, that is, in described paper, actors connected with intermodal transport.Paper presents results of the research project N509 398536, called: „Intermodal logistics network in Poland – concept of model solutions and implementation aspects” carried out by the Institute of Logistics and Warehousing under scientific leadership of professor Leszek Mindur

The Method of Modelling the Intermodal Network in Poland Using Multi-Agent Systems

For a dozen or so years, despite a transitional financial crisis, the European Union countries have been observing a steady growth in the movement of goods by road transport. As specified by the European Commission, the share of road transport in total movement of goods (in tkm) in the European countries amounted to 76.9%1. Rail transport accounted for as little as 17.6%2. This, in combination with the increase in trade in goods, results in the fact that an increasing number of roads reach their maximum capacity and the efficient organisation of transportation processes becomes increasingly difficult or impossible [1, 3, 10]. Moreover, as the authors have observed, enterprises make attempts at fulfilling their customers' orders frequently and quickly, using mainly road transport. The consequence of such an approach is that the enterprises, while improving the processes and increasing customer satisfaction in short term, may contribute to their deterioration in long term. It should be noted that frequent and quick deliveries require more means of transportation which in turn boosts traffic congestion and deterioration of road safety. The growing congestion results in the decrease of average driving speed, which eventually extends the delivery time and thus may affect customer satisfaction and, in worst-case scenario, loss of orders

Using logistic redesigner (Lo.R.D.) software for designing and simulating a steel supply chain

This paper regards the analysis of the development of a logistics and transportation network concerning a steel plant. The main goal is to search for the best scenario that allows to supply the plant and to distribute all the finished products to final customers in the most efficient way. To this aim, a proper simulation model has been developed and implemented utilizing Logistics Re Designer (Lo. R. D.) software. More specifically, three different transportation networks have been created: two “single” modal choice scenarios - by road or by rail – and an “intermodal” one. Another system variable regards the production capacity of the steel plant: three different types of capacity have been considered; so in total nine scenarios have been taken into consideration. The results obtained indicate that the intermodal solution is the most suitable to be adopted both in terms of total time – and consequently costs - and resources required to perform all the necessary operations. Future research will focus on the improvement of the solution found and on the development of an economical analysis

The Silk Railroad. The EU-China rail connections: background, actors, interests. OSW Studies Number 72, February 2018

The report discusses the current state and future prospects of rail connections between China and the countries of the European Union. Special emphasis is placed on the role of Central Europe. It presents the goals and the policy adopted by the Chinese side in the process of building rail connections with European countries, compares the current and the planned transport corridors, offers an analysis of the economic potential of the China-Europe rail connections. It also discusses various business models of cooperation with China in rail transport. The report has been drawn up based on the desk research and interviews with representatives of European and Chinese companies involved in developing rail connections, as well as interviews with Chinese analysts dealing with Belt and Road issues

Quilpie to Brisbane, moving cattle by rail freight: the regular reliable and responsive services challenge

Agricultural production in Queensland is spread over a vast area and is very diverse. The coastline is 7,000 km and the land area is 1.853 million km2. Livestock travel vast distances from the outback to the processing and export ports in south east Queensland. In the past rail was used for long haul point to point transportation of livestock, but over recent years there has been a decline in use of rail. This study examines the Western rail system, rail infrastructure and associated facilities. We explore the decline in the use of rail for the transport of cattle; we assess what conditions would enable the revival of trains should they be considered a viable option; and we discuss how hybrid models of trains and trucks could provide the optimum solutions for the future of livestock transport