Improving robustness of rolling stock circulations in rapid transit networks

The rolling stock circulation depends on two different problems: the rolling stock assignment and the train routing problems, which up to now have been solved sequentially. We propose a new approach to obtain better and more robust circulations of the rolling stock train units, solving the rolling stock assignment while accounting for the train routing problem. Here robustness means that difficult shunting operations are selectively penalized and propagated delays together with the need for human resources are minimized. This new integrated approach provides a huge model. Then, we solve the integrated model using Benders decomposition, where the main decision is the rolling stock assignment and the train routing is in the second level. For computational reasons we propose a heuristic based on Benders decomposition. Computational experiments show how the current solution operated by RENFE (the main Spanish train operator) can be improved: more robust and efficient solutions are obtaine

A new approach to crew scheduling in rapid transit networks

We propose a new approach for the crew scheduling problem in rapid transit networks. With this approach we try to open a new branch for future research, providing a different way of facing the crew scheduling problem which makes integration with other planning problems easier than the traditional approach based on column generation for solving a set covering/partitioning problem. For solving this new model we develop a Lagrangian relaxation and we take advantage of an ad hoc decomposition based on time personnel clustering. We present some preliminary computational experiments for real case studies drawn from the main Spanish train operator, RENFE

Анализ обеспеченности подвижным составом региональных железнодорожных пассажирских перевозок Польши

This article assesses the impact of socio-economic factors and the amount of transport work done on the capacity of rolling stock used in passenger transport on selected railway lines located in various regions of Poland. The purpose of this article was to check the relationship between the capacity of rolling stock running on a railway line in regional passenger transport, and the socio-economic factors occurring in the area through which the analyzed railway line runs, and between volume of transport on this line. The analysis was carried out for 32 railway lines located in different voivodeships, with one main line and one local line selected from each voivodeship. The average number of seats in regional trains running on it was calculated for each of the analyzed lines. Then calculations of partial correlation coefficients were performed. During calculations, the average number of seats was used as a dependent variable, while socio-economic factors affecting the size of passenger flows and the amount of transport work done were used as independent values. The calculation used the transport data and socio-economic factors that occurred in 2018. The calculations showed that there is a clear relationship between the rolling stock capacity and the amount of transport work done. On lines where more transport work is done, more capacious rolling stock also runs. On the other hand, the dependence of rolling stock capacity on socio-economic factors affecting the size of passenger flows is small.Представлены результаты оценки влияния социально-экономических факторов и объёма выполненной транспортной работы на вместимость подвижного состава, используемого на региональных железнодорожных пассажирских перевозках Польши. Исследование проводилось для железнодорожных линий, расположенных в различных регионах страны. Цель статьи – проверка наличия и оценка связей между вместимостью подвижного состава, используемого на региональных железнодорожных линиях, и показателями социально-экономической среды регионов, обслуживаемых этими линиями. Анализ проводился для 32 железнодорожных линий, расположенных в разных регионах (воеводствах) Польши. Для исследования в каждом воеводстве были выбраны по одной главной и местной линии. Средняя вместимость региональных поездов рассчитывалась для каждой из анализируемых линий. Выполнен расчёт значений частных коэффициентов корреляции между исследуемыми величинами. В расчётах среднее число мест в поездах использовалось как зависимая переменная, а социально-экономические показатели, влияющие на величину пассажиропотоков и объём выполненной транспортной работы, – как независимые. Расчёты выполнены с использованием статистических данных об объёмах перевозок и показателях социально-экономической среды за 2018 год. Результаты расчётов показали наличие сильной связи между вместимостью используемого подвижного состава и объёмом выполненной транспортной работы. На линиях с большим объёмом пассажирских перевозок используется более вместительный подвижной состав. С другой стороны, связь вместимости подвижного состава и социально-экономических факторов, определяющих размер пассажиропотоков, невелика

Train scheduling in high speed railways: considering competitive effects

The railway planning problem is usually studied from two different points of view: macroscopic and microscopic. We propose a macroscopic approach for the high-speed rail scheduling problem where competitive effects are introduced. We study train frequency planning, timetable planning and rolling stock assignment problems and model the problem as a multi-commodity network flow problem considering competitive transport markets. The aim of the presented model is to maximize the total operator profit. We solve the optimization model using realistic probleminstances obtained from the network of the Spanish railwa operator RENFE, including other transport modes in Spai

A Comparison of Two Exact Methods for Passenger Railway Rolling Stock (Re)Scheduling

The assignment of rolling stock units to timetable services in passenger railways is an important optimization problem that has been addressed by many papers in different forms. Solution approaches have been proposed for different planning phases: strategic, tactical, and also operational planning. In this paper we compare two approaches within two operational planning phases (i.e. the daily and the real time planning). The first exact approach is based on a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) which is solved using CPLEX. The second approach is an extension of a recently introduced column generation approach. In this paper, we benchmark the performance of the methods on networks of two countries (Denmark and The Netherlands). We use the approaches to make daily schedules and we test their real time applicability by performing tests with different disruption scenarios. The computational experiments demonstrate that both models can be used on both networks and are able to find optimal rolling stock circulations in the different planning phase