IF articles

In this article we propose to briefly describe

an approach for the problem modelling, based on

Operations Research and Mathematical Programming.

This analysis is oriented to the planning of the paths on

lines that allow a cadenced timetable pattern, therefore

the method can be used as a support for the planning and

infrastructural analysis of routes used by periodic railway

services, often characterized by high traffic density. In particular,

given a target timetable (i.e. some cadenced lines),

the railway topology and other possible constraints, the

feasibility of the schedule that meets the required specifications

is verified through a first model.

Sometimes the requested scenarios cannot be implemented

on the current network topology: this is the reason

why we can deal with and solve the problem in a context

of variable infrastructure topology for a medium-long

term analysis, in order to find the best infrastructure

changes that make feasible the target scheduling.

This work comes from the Master of Science Thesis titled:

“Periodic train scheduling with variable infrastructure”

(“Schedulazione periodica di linee ferroviarie in presenza

di infrastruttura variabile”) [1], prepared by Andrea

MIGNONE for the degree examination session of March

2009 at Polytechnic of Turin.