Conflict Resolution through Negotiation in a Railway Open Access Market: a Multi-agent System Approach

Abstract

Open access reforms to railway regulations allow multiple train operators to provide rail services on a common infrastructure. As railway operations are now independently managed by different stakeholders, conflicts in operations may arise, and there have been attempts to derive an effective access charge regime so that these conflicts may be resolved. One approach is by direct negotiation between the infrastructure manager and the train service providers. Despite the substantial literature on the topic, few consider the benefits of employing computer simulation as an evaluation tool for railway operational activities such as access pricing. This article proposes a multi-agent system (MAS) framework for the railway open market and demonstrates its feasibility by modelling the negotiation between an infrastructure provider and a train service operator. Empirical results show that the model is capable of resolving operational conflicts according to market demand.     

Rail track infrastructure ownership: investment and operational issues

As privatisation of railway systems reach the political agendas in a number of countries, the separation of track infrastructure from train operations is seen as providing the vehicle which will improve profitability within the rail industry. This paper deals with three main issues related to such separation within a freight railway focus, namely: investment appraisal; track standards and maintenance; and train operating performance. The conflicts of interest between the owners of track and their client operators are discussed in detail. Costs related to track capacity and congestion need to be taken into account, given that additional trains are likely to lead to increased risk of delays to existing services. The paper discusses the use of a travel time reliability model to estimate the additional costs imposed on the system through the introduction of specific train services.It is concluded that investment in individual elements of railway infrastructure must be integrated with the overall financial and customer service strategies of both operators and owners. As an alternative to current practices, a hybrid model of track ownership is put forward here. Under such a model, a joint-venture company with equity from the main ÒplayersÓ would be owner of track. This would allow some of the benefits of vertical integration to be retained, whilst providing fair access to new operators.     

Train delay and perceived-wait time: passengers' perspective

Abstract

Waiting time influences the overall perception of service quality. The passenger-perceived waiting time can determine their waiting experience. The concept of waiting time refers to the comparison between the passengers' inherent tolerance of waiting and the possible improvement scenarios. This study investigates the passengers' tolerance of waiting under various scenarios of train delays in order to improve their perceived waiting time. We propose the adoption of a modern psychometric method utilizing the Rasch model to measure a subjective latent construct known as ‘wait tolerance'. The Rasch measurement provides mathematical procedures for transforming scores from an ordinal to an interval scale to observe which scenarios can reduce certain passengers' perceived waiting time in the case of a delay. Empirical results show that ‘uncontrollable circumstances', ‘friendly staff attitudes', and ‘providing appropriate messages of apology' can improve the passenger-perceived waiting time during train delays. Likewise, distinct differences are found in the passengers' tolerance of waiting in terms of various personal characteristics, such as gender, age, and train riding frequency. The findings propose the implementation of strategies for improvement by rail system operators, as well as for regulators to define a reasonable service level in the case of train delays. The reviews show possible future innovative research orientations as well.     

Individual freight effects,capacity utilization,and Amtrak service quality

This paper offers a new perspective on the post-deregulation rail industry. We hypothesize that a link exists between individual freight effects and Amtrak service quality. Specifically, we investigate the relationship between freight control of the infrastructure on which Amtrak trains operate and Amtrak train delays. Our sample consists of 1117 directional station-pairs for fiscal years 2002 through 2007 on 28 Amtrak non-Northeast Corridor passenger routes. We found that freight effects have a significant impact on Amtrak train delays after controlling for other important delay determinants such as the capacity utilization rate. The impact is higher on long-distance routes. We also observed significant differences between the effects of different freight railroads. For example, Amtrak operations on infrastructure controlled by several Class I railroads experienced significantly larger delays than baseline operations, while Amtrak train delays on Burlington Northern and Santa Fe’s tracks actually fell below baseline levels.     

Development and Impact of the Modern High‐speed Train: A Review

Abstract

The inauguration of the Shinkansen high‐speed train service between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, at 210 kph maximum operating speed some 40 years ago marked the comeback of the train as an important passenger mode of transport. Since then high‐speed train (HST) services have been introduced in many countries and are planned in many more, and the train has once more become the dominant mode of transport on many routes. This review summarizes the different elements of HST operation with the aim of characterizing HST operation and putting in context its impact in terms of what it is best designed for and what it can deliver. The review concludes that the HST is best designed to substitute conventional railway services on routes where much higher capacity is required and to reduce travel time, further improving the railway service, also against other modes, therefore leading to mode substitution. However, the high investment in HST infrastructure could not be justified based on its economic development benefits since these are not certain. Finally, the following definition for HST services is suggested: high capacity and frequency railway services achieving an average speed of over 200 kph.     

Telemetric system for monitoring and automation of railroad networks

This paper describes a new method of real-time train monitoring based on the ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 protocol. The system consists of a mobile device embedded in the moving train which transmits parameter signals that are being measured by a base unit with the help of routers. When applied, the technique monitors and controls vehicles operating on permanent routes, making a real-time evaluation of their performance and location, and allowing an effective planning of trains. It consists of a low cost, low power consumption and safe modular technology capable of monitoring many different variables simultaneously.     

A practical capacity model of a single track line

The paper presents a model for determining the practical capacity of a single track line, i.e. the maximum number of trains which can be run along it in a time unit under the condition that each train enters its bottleneck segment with a definite delay.

The input data used in the model are: geometrical characteristics of the bottleneck segment of the line under study, the intensity and structure of demand expressed by a number of trains which are run over the line in a given time unit, the scenario of traffic running over the line under study and the operational tactics of individual train categories processing on the bottleneck segment.

(Two tactics can be applied in the train processing on the line under study; first, the trains of individual categories are given different priorities in the processing, and second, all the trains have the same priority).

The output results of the model are average delays of trains of each category occurring within the train processing performed on the bottleneck segment of the line under study in a given time unit.     

Short-line railroad managers discuss their industry

In the United States, the 1980 Staggers Rail Act created a positive regulatory environment for the creation of new short-line railroads. At present there are about 450 of these railroads that have less than 250 miles of trackage. This study asked managers/owners of these railroads two basic questions. First, what do you believe is the single most important trend that is currently taking place in your industry. The most frequently noted trend was the frustration of working with the larger Class 1 railroads. Five additional trends were also identified by the respondents. The second question asked the respondents if they thought the short-line sector of the rail industry will become more or less important in the next ten years and why. About 70% of the owner/managers believed their industry would become more important in the next decade. The most commonly expressed reason for this position is that the Class 1 railroads will increasingly specialize in mainline service only. Three other rationales were also enumerated. For the managers that thought their industry would become less important, the most noted reason was their trackage would not safely transport the newer very heavy bulk commodity freight cars.     

Large-scale network distribution of pooled empty freight cars over time,with limited substitution and equitable benefits

A set of models and procedures is described for finding the optimal distribution of empty freight cars owned by the railroads participating in a pooling agreement. A distinction is drawn between a system focus, in which the emphasis is on minimizing total cost, and a company focus, in which the benefits of the agreement to the individual railroads are emphasized. Limited car substitution is accounted for by combining interchange costs with distribution costs, and incorporating interchange possibilities and prohibitions into the network structure. Temporal variations in car supply and demand levels are also taken into account. A large-scale network algorithm is used in conjunction with decomposition to obtain solutions which show for a given time horizon how much equity can be achieved in the balance of savings among the railroads involved and at what cost. Results using actual operating data are reported.     

Organizational adoption behavior of CO2-saving power train technologies: An empirical study on the German heavy-duty vehicles market

This study analyzes the preference structure of buyer groups that influences their willingness to select CO₂-saving power train technologies for medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles (HDV). Based on the Technology–Organization–Environment framework for organizational adoption decision making and organizational buying criteria a theoretical construct was developed. Variables were validated in exploratory preliminary research and subsequently tested based on factor analysis using 27 survey items in a quantitative web-based study among 177 organizations operating HDV in Germany. Knowledge, experience, use and purchase consideration concerning alternative power train technologies and further measures to reduce fuel consumption were additionally queried. Based on a multiple linear regression analysis, key findings show that at the current stage of market maturity environmental attitude and corporate social responsibility exert the strongest significant influence on willingness to select CO₂-saving power train technologies. A hierarchical cluster analysis revealed six customer groups in order to yield behavioral market segmentation. Hereby it is shown that the performed transportation tasks do not determine the preference structures. Early adopting organizations are larger than average and driven by non-economic aspects as image or corporate social responsibility, whereas the mass market awaits lower purchasing prices. Crossing this chasm will be a major challenge for policymaker and manufacturers.     

The effect of railway privatization on train planning: A case study of the UK

The restructuring of the UK railway industry in preparation for privatization led to major changes being made to train planning processes. Subsequent train planning problems, some of which became very public, suggest that something went seriously wrong during the development or implementation of these revised processes. This paper investigates what went wrong and why, finding that several factors were involved, including the objectives the new processes were expected to meet and the software that was being developed to support the new processes. There are clear lessons to be learnt from the UK experience to inform debate on future railway restructuring initiatives.     

An improved car‐following model for railway traffic

In this paper, we propose an improved traffic model for simulating train movement in railway traffic. The proposed model is based on optimal velocity car‐following model. In order to test the proposed model, we use it to simulate the train movement with fixed‐block system. In simulations, we analyze and discuss the space–time diagram of railway traffic flow and the trajectories of train movement. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed model can be successfully used for simulating the train movement in railway traffic. From the space–time diagram, we find some complex phenomena of train flow, which are observed in real railway traffic, such as train delays. By analyzing the trajectories of train movement, some dynamic characteristics of trains can be reproduced. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Probabilistic analysis of the release of liquefied natural gas (LNG) tenders due to freight-train derailments

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) has emerged as a possible alternative fuel for freight railroads in the United States, due to the availability of cheap domestic natural gas and continued pursuit of environmental and energy sustainability. A safety concern regarding the deployment of LNG-powered trains is the risk of breaching the LNG tender car (a special type of hazardous materials car that stores fuel for adjacent locomotives) in a train accident. When a train is derailed, an LNG tender car might be derailed or damaged, causing a release and possible fire. This paper describes the first study that focuses on modeling the probability of an LNG tender car release incident due to a freight train derailment on a mainline. The model accounts for a number of factors such as FRA track class, method of operation, annual traffic density level, train length, the point of derailment, accident speed, the position(s) of the LNG tender(s) in a train, and LNG tender car design. The model can be applied to any specified route or network with LNG-fueled trains. The implementation of the model can be undertaken by the railroad industry to develop proactive risk management solutions when using LNG as an alternative railroad fuel.     

High-Speed Rail Operations on an Existing Network: An Assessment Model for China

High-speed rail operations have the potential to reduce the long-term decline in rail passenger travel demand for the medium to long distance inter-urban markets. Such decline has been evident through most of the industrialized countries where air and road transport tend to be the dominant modes. In China, the operations of long distance high-speed rail on fully dedicated track is not very easy to implement, due to the high proportion of passengers who travel between high-speed and conventional railways. An alternative approach would be to allow for mixed operations with trains of various speeds on the same track. This article puts forward a simulation model designed to allow an evaluation of the most efficient distance for high-speed rail operations under mixed train speed scenarios. The model takes into account the main operating parameters such as passenger volumes, train speeds, capital and maintenance costs, train operating costs and energy consumption. The distance of high-speed train running on conventional rail that will yield the most economic benefit can be estimated using the model. The article includes the results of using the model for a specific example. It is concluded that large-scale high-speed trains have the potential to be successfully operated on conventional rail networks.     

Train rescheduling model with train delay and passenger impatience time in urban subway network

This paper considers the train rescheduling problem with train delay in urban subway network. With the objective of minimizing the negative effect of train delay to passengers, which is quantified with a weighted combination of travel time cost and the cost of giving up the planned trips, train rescheduling model is proposed to jointly synchronize both train delay operation constraints and passenger behavior choices. Space–time network is proposed to describe passenger schedule‐based path choices and obtain the shortest travel times. Impatience time is defined to describe the intolerance of passengers to train delay. By comparing the increased travel time due to train delay with the passenger impatience time, a binary variable is defined to represent whether the passenger will give up their planned trips or not. The proposed train rescheduling model is implemented using genetic algorithm, and the model effectiveness is further examined through numerical experiments of real‐world urban subway train timetabling test. Duration effects of the train delay to the optimization results are analyzed. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Combining Intermodal Transport With Electric Vehicles: Towards More Sustainable Solutions

Abstract

This paper analyses the feasibility of incorporating electric or hybrid vehicles in intermodal transport for the transportation of containers in the pre- and post haulage (PPH) operation. In Europe, the intermodal transport market is being strongly supported, as it is seen as one of the keystones of a sustainable mobility system policy. The introduction of environmentally friendly electric/hybrid vehicles for the pre- and post haulage operation would mean a further enhancement leading to a more complete ecological intermodal transport chain. PPH operations are usually no longer than 30 km, and, hence, could possibly be handled by electric or hybrid vehicles.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) combine electric and other drive systems, such as internal combustion engines, gas turbines and fuel cells. Hybrid electric vehicles merge the zero pollution and high efficiency benefits of electric traction with the high fuel energy density benefits of an energy source or thermal engine. The use of electrically driven vehicles for goods distribution has already been successfully proven in international demonstration projects, such as ELCIDIS. Transport of intermodal units (such as ISO containers), however, requires electric/hybrid heavy-duty goods vehicles, which are not readily available on the market, but for which the technology exists.

Different possibilities are assessed as to their technical, financial, organizational and environmental feasibility and suitability. This analysis is based on a typical mission for pre-and post haulage operations, such as type of trips, distance, frequency, urban/suburban, etc.     

Train movement simulation by element increment method

The article presents an element increment method that is developed by current time increment method of train traction calculation. A railway route was divided, breaking it down into elements of different lengths. A whole train movement simulation curve (v–t curve and v–S curve) was formed by splitting the joints of each of the elements' individual simulation curves. During this process, the train velocity variance was calculated by time increment method with assistance of polynomial fitting technology. Additionally, a step‐by‐step method with iteration was used to combine each element and makes the whole simulation curve continuous. Meanwhile, the energy‐saving issue was also taken into account to optimize the simulation curve. This article gives more details about the modeling by providing an example of a railway route based on moving block control. The element increment method is a more effective way to calculate train traction of high‐speed railway, and it is an alternative method to train movement simulation for aiding macroscopic railway transportation planning. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

动卧客运与快递货运的高速铁路夜间能力利用模式

目前我国高速铁路的日间行车能力已得到了较为充分的利用,而如何组织好高铁夜间垂直天窗与夜行列车之间的耦合关系、用好高铁夜间能力,是适应多样化市场需求的需要,也是进一步提升高铁经营效益的有效途径。对此,本文提出了动卧列车和货运动车组两种相对可行的高铁夜间运输产品,分别对其产品特征进行了分析,充分考虑高铁夜间天窗制约下两种列车的开行模式,基于市场需求提出了列车开行策略,并在充分对比两种产品的经济效益、客(货)源组织、能力分配等因素的基础上,给出了高铁夜间能力发展建议。