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Optimizing the Simplon railway corridor

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  • Ralf Borndörfer
  • Berkan Erol
  • Thomas Graffagnino
  • Thomas Schlechte
  • Elmar Swarat

Abstract

This paper presents a case study of a railway timetable optimization for the very dense Simplon corridor, a major railway connection in the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. The key to deal with the complexity of this scenario is the use of a novel aggregation-disaggregation method. Starting from a detailed microscopic representation as it is used in railway simulation, the data is transformed by an automatic procedure into a less detailed macroscopic representation, that is sufficient for the purpose of capacity planning and amenable to state-of-the-art integer programming optimization methods. This macroscopic railway network is saturated with trains. Finally, the optimized timetable is re-transformed to the microscopic level in such a way that it can be operated without any conflicts among the train paths. Using this micro-macro aggregation-disaggregation approach in combination with integer programming methods, it becomes for the first time possible to generate a profit maximal and conflict free timetable for the complete Simplon corridor over an entire day by a simultaneous optimization of all trains requests. In addition, this also allows us to undertake a sensitivity analysis of various problem parameters. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Ralf Borndörfer & Berkan Erol & Thomas Graffagnino & Thomas Schlechte & Elmar Swarat, 2014. "Optimizing the Simplon railway corridor," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 218(1), pages 93-106, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:annopr:v:218:y:2014:i:1:p:93-106:10.1007/s10479-012-1260-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10479-012-1260-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ralf Borndörfer & Martin Grötschel & Marc E. Pfetsch, 2007. "A Column-Generation Approach to Line Planning in Public Transport," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 41(1), pages 123-132, February.
    2. Alberto Caprara & Matteo Fischetti & Paolo Toth, 2002. "Modeling and Solving the Train Timetabling Problem," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 50(5), pages 851-861, October.
    3. Jespersen-Groth, J. & Potthoff, D. & Clausen, J. & Huisman, D. & Kroon, L.G. & Maróti, G. & Nielsen, M.N., 2007. "Disruption management in passenger railway transportation," Econometric Institute Research Papers EI 2007-05, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus School of Economics (ESE), Econometric Institute.
    4. Peter J. Zwaneveld & Leo G. Kroon & H. Edwin Romeijn & Marc Salomon & Stéphane Dauzère-Pérès & Stan P. M. Van Hoesel & Harrie W. Ambergen, 1996. "Routing Trains Through Railway Stations: Model Formulation and Algorithms," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(3), pages 181-194, August.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Mina Aliakbari & Joseph Geunes, 2022. "Multiple Train Repositioning Operations in a Railyard Network," SN Operations Research Forum, Springer, vol. 3(4), pages 1-31, December.
    3. Jonas Harbering & Abhiram Ranade & Marie Schmidt & Oliver Sinnen, 2019. "Complexity, bounds and dynamic programming algorithms for single track train scheduling," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 273(1), pages 479-500, February.

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