Adjusting train routing in case of planned infrastructure maintenance

Abstract

In a busy railway network such as the Netherlands, more and more maintenance activities are needed to be performed. These planned activities often lead to an infeasible timetable since infrastructure is temporary unavailable for operations. A macroscopic network model can roughly adjust the timetable for a complete network, while a microscopic model is needed to check for possessions in station areas and ensure feasibility of the timetable. In this thesis a microscopic routing model is proposed that adjusts the route plan in a station area while minimising passenger dissatisfaction. The model also finds new rolling stock connections, implements shunting movements in a station area and considers shorter rolling stock formations. To increase the quality of the route plan, its robustness is increased iteratively and small time shifts of arrivals and departures are applied to resolve small conflicts that would lead to cancellations. Several case studies demonstrate the high performance of the model. Finally, a feedback mechanism to a macroscopic model is proposed.