Capacity Factors of a Mixed Speed Railway Network

Authors

Steven Harrod

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2009

Subject Area

operations - capacity, operations - traffic, infrastructure - track, land use - planning, ridership - commuting, mode - rail

Keywords

Traffic volume, Traffic flow, Tracks, Speed volume relationships, Railways, Railroads, Railroad tracks, Networks, Network capacity, Line planning, High speed trains, High speed rail, Capacity analysis

Abstract

Fifty-four combinations of track network and speed differential are evaluated within a linear, discrete time network model that maximizes an objective function of train volume, delays, and idle train time. The results contradict accepted dispatching practice by suggesting that when introducing a priority, high-speed train onto a network, maximum network flow is attained when the priority train operates at maximum speed. In addition, increasing siding capacity at meeting points may offer a network capacity improvement comparable to partial double track.

Comments

Transportation Research Part E Home Page: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/13665545

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