Assessing Moving Block Railway Capacity Based on Fixed Block Infrastructure Occupation

Moving block signalling promises a significant reduction of the infrastructure occupation compared to a fixed block system, such as NS’54/ATB. This is mainly caused by a strong reduction of the approach and running time. However, to assess the capacity gains track occupation data, such as blocking times are needed. ETCS L3 Moving Block is still...

Timetable compression using max-plus automata applied to large railway networks

Demand for railway transportation keeps on growing. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the capacity of railway networks is crucial. In this paper, the well-known compression method based on max-plus algebra is extended. A number of challenges are addressed to apply this compression method to large and complex networks, such as the one...

Capacity benefits of Virtual Coupling over ETCS L3 Moving Block in a realistic operational environment

As the demand for transport of goods and passengers increases, the capacity of railway networks is becoming more and more saturated. Railway infrastructure managers aim to increase the rail network capacity with the minimum possible investments in infrastructure. Next generation signalling concepts such as Moving Block (MB) and Virtual Coupling ...

At the Crossroads: Design for Railway Freight Capacity Decision-Making

Growing demand for railway-based transport stresses railway infrastructure on safety, punctuality, and robustness. The Port of Rotterdam and ProRail desire a process of executing simulation model supported capacity studies wherein inputs, methods and outputs are coordinated upfront. However, interorganisational capacity studies are currently...

A multi-state train-following model for the analysis of virtual coupling railway operations

The increasing need for capacity has led the railway industry to explore next generation signalling concepts such as Virtual Coupling which takes moving-block operations further by separating trains by a relative braking distance, like cars on the road. By means of a Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication architecture trains can move in a...

ERTMS/ETCS Hybrid Level 3: A simulation-based impact assessment for the Dutch railway network

Block signalling and Automatic Train Protection are two of the main railway safety systems to control the risk of train accidents. The combination of the existing Dutch block signalling system NS’54 and ATP-system ATB-EG is functioning well, but has some drawbacks. The systems have been designed over 60 years ago with proven technology of that...

A multi-state train-following model for the analysis of Virtual Coupling railway operations

The increasing need for capacity has led the railway industry to explore next generation signalling concepts such as Virtual Coupling which takes moving-block operations further by separating trains by a relative braking distance, like cars on the road. By means of a Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication architecture trains can move in a...

The contribution to 3kV traction power supply system on railway capacity in the Netherlands

The current 1.5kV railway traction power supply system is reaching its limits in the Netherlands and therefore, ProRail is investigating the replacement of this system by the 3kV railway traction power supply system. This study will investigate how effective the 3kV traction power supply system can increase the capacity of the rail...