Three sequencing decisions are involved in railway classification yards: inspection, hump, and assembly. Those sequencing decisions are important for smooth and efficient railyard operations and are interrelated. This research concentrates on the optimization of those sequences in an integrated way. A sequencing and scheduling model is proposed by considering multiple engines and inspection groups. This model can be solved by existing commercial optimization solvers for one typical planning horizon, such as 24 h. Numerical experiments and a case study based on historical data from a U.S. Class I railroad demonstrate that the proposed solution method yields better sequences and schedules, as measured by the total dwell time, compared with the practice of static sequencing. Furthermore, the results indicate that the handling capacity should be balanced among different classification steps to maximize the overall yard capacity.
Sequencing and Scheduling in Railway Classification Yards
Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board ; 2475 , 1 ; 72-80
2015-01-01
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Sequencing and Scheduling in Railway Classification Yards
Online Contents | 2015
|The lighting of railway classification yards
IEEE | 1927
|The lighting of railway classification yards
Engineering Index Backfile | 1927
|Engineering Index Backfile | 1930
|Automation railway marshalling yards
Engineering Index Backfile | 1964
|