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The basic train makeup problem in shunting yards

Author

Listed:
  • Nils Boysen

    (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Lehrstuhl für Operations Management)

  • Simon Emde

    (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Lehrstuhl für Operations Management)

  • Malte Fliedner

    (Universität Hamburg, Lehrstuhl für Operations Management)

Abstract

In shunting yards, railcars of incoming trains are uncoupled and reassembled to outbound trains. This time-critical process that employs a complex system of switches, hump hills, and classification tracks requires plenty interdependent decision problems to be solved. An elementary decision task among these is the train makeup problem, which assigns railcars of inbound freight trains to outbound trains, such that the priority values of the selected cuts of railcars are maximized and given train capacities are observed. This assignment decision is further complicated by the fact that railcars cannot facultatively be selected, but the buildup sequences of incoming trains need to be considered. This work introduces and discusses the basic train makeup problem, analyses its complexity status and develops suited exact and heuristic solution procedures that are tested in a comprehensive computational study.

Suggested Citation

  • Nils Boysen & Simon Emde & Malte Fliedner, 2016. "The basic train makeup problem in shunting yards," OR Spectrum: Quantitative Approaches in Management, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research e.V., vol. 38(1), pages 207-233, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:orspec:v:38:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1007_s00291-015-0412-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s00291-015-0412-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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