Passenger oriented railway disruption management by adapting timetables and rolling stock schedules

In passenger railway operations, unforeseen events require railway operators to adjust their timetable and their resource schedules. The passengers will also adapt their routes to their destinations. When determining the new timetable and rolling stock schedule, the railway operator has to take passenger behavior into account. The operator should increase the capacity of trains for which the operator expects more demand than on a regular day. Furthermore, the operator could increase the frequency of the trains that serve stations with an additional demand.This paper describes a real-time disruption management approach which integrates the rescheduling of the rolling stock and the timetable by taking the changed passenger demand into account. The timetable decisions are limited to additional stops of trains at stations at which they normally would not call. Several variants of the approach are suggested, with the difference in how to determine which additional stops should be executed.Real-time rescheduling requires fast solutions. Therefore a heuristic approach is used. We demonstrate the performance of the several variants of our algorithm on realistic instances of Netherlands Railways, the major railway operator in the Netherlands.     

Resilience in railway transport systems: a literature review and research agenda

ABSTRACT

Critical infrastructure networks, such as transport and power networks, are essential for the functioning of a society and economy. The rising transport demand increases the congestion in railway networks and thus they become more interdependent and more complex to operate. Also, an increasing number of disruptions due to system failures as well as climate changes can be expected in the future. As a consequence, many trains are cancelled and excessively delayed, and thus, many passengers are not reaching their destinations which compromises customers need for mobility. Currently, there is a rising need to quantify impacts of disruptions and the evolution of system performance. This review paper aims to set-up a field-specific definition of resilience in railway transport and gives a comprehensive, up-to-date review of railway resilience papers. The focus is on quantitative approaches. The review analyses peer-reviewed papers in Web of Science and Scopus from January 2008 to August 2019. The results show a steady increase of the number of published papers in recent years. The review classifies resilience metrics and approaches. It has been recognised that system-based metrics tend to better capture effects on transport services and transport demand. Also, mathematical optimization shows a great potential to assess and improve resilience of railway systems. Alternatively, data-driven approaches could be potentially used for detailed ex-post analysis of past disruptions. Finally, several rising future scientific topics are identified, spanning from learning from historical data, to considering interdependent critical systems and community resilience. Practitioners can also benefit from the review to understand a common terminology, recognise possible applications for assessing and designing resilient railway transport systems.     

Assessing environmentally friendly recycling methods for composite bodies of railway rolling stock using life-cycle analysis

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic is applied to railway car bodies to lighten them and reduce fuel consumption. This study looks at recycling methods for carbon fiber reinforced plastic used in a car body of a tilting train. It looks at four types of recycling: acid, pyrolysis in oxygen and nitrogen, organic solvents and supercritical process under various operating conditions. It evaluates the environmental performance of the recycling methods in terms of footprints of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. A simplified life-cycle analysis is applied focusing mainly on the recycling treatment system. Only acid and pyrolysis in oxygen were capable of passing the technical and recyclate quality criteria. The energy footprint by pyrolysis in oxygen is approximately six times greater than acids and greenhouse gas emissions are some five times greater than with the acid recycling method.     

Aggregate time series gasoline demand models: Review of the literature and new evidence for West Germany

In this article, we review and analyse recent studies on aggregate time series gasoline demand models, with an emphasis on the West German context. We relate the most important national and international publications in this area to categories which help to present and analyse results. We give special attention to results from Germany, notably to Foos' (1986) extensive work using flexible functional forms.     

Uncertainty in traffic forecasts: literature review and new results for The Netherlands

This paper provides a review of transport model applications that not only provide a central traffic forecast (or forecasts for a few scenarios), but also quantify the uncertainty in the traffic forecasts in the form of a confidence interval or related measures. Both uncertainty that results from using uncertain inputs (e.g. on income) and uncertainty in the model itself are treated. The paper goes on to describe the methods used and the results obtained for a case study in quantifying uncertainty in traffic forecasts in The Netherlands.

Travel-based multitasking: review of the empirical evidence

This paper reviews 58 studies with empirical evidence on travel-based multitasking, identifies gaps in terms of data collection methods and provides a comprehensive review of findings about the significance of variables with an impact on the prevalence and type of multitasking. We identified the limitations of quantitative or qualitative surveys and advocate a mixed methods approach to provide an in-depth understanding of travel-based multitasking. We revealed that cross-country comparisons are missing due to the lack of empirical evidence outside the developed countries. While there are indications of increasing multitasking with mobile devices, we found only two longitudinal surveys that provide evidence. We call for a standardisation of definitions of multitasking activities to enable more longitudinal research. We identified 75 variables that were tested for impact on travel-based multitasking in previous research, of which 60 were found to be significant. Sufficient evidence (i.e. minimum three papers), however, only exists for age, gender, trip duration, travel mode, trip purpose, time of the day and day of the week of the trip and the presence of a travel companion. Therefore, more research is suggested to determine the influence of attitude, comfort, availability of equipment, time use and spatial attributes on the type and prevalence of travel-based multitasking.     

Value of travel time reliability: A review of current evidence

Travel time reliability is a fundamental factor in travel behavior. It represents the temporal uncertainty experienced by travelers in their movement between any two nodes in a network. The importance of the time reliability depends on the penalties incurred by the travelers. In road networks, travelers consider the existence of a trip travel time uncertainty in different choice situations (departure time, route, mode, and others). In this paper, a systematic review of the current state of research in travel time reliability, and more explicitly in the value of travel time reliability is presented. Moreover, a meta-analysis is performed in order to determine the reasons behind the discrepancy among the reliability estimates.     

Economies of scale in bus transit: A review of concepts and evidence

The issue of returns of scale in bus transit continues to be a subject of debate among transportation analysts. From a public policy perspective, returns to scale are relevant to many policy areas such as transit service pricing, cost allocation, productivity and organization of the industry. Empirical studies conducted during the past decade have generated conflicting results. Constant, decreasing and increasing returns to scale have all been reported.This paper identifies the sources of these conflicting results: confusion regarding the concept of scale economies, variable definition, assumptions regarding the shape of the cost function, and certain characteristics of the data base. The paper also discusses the theoretical concept of scale economies, and an interpretation of the concept for bus transit is presented. It is concluded that recent studies which have utilized generalized cost functions more accurately represent the economic structure of bus transit, and provide a stronger basis for transit policy analysis.     

An analysis of the methods used to calculate the emissions of rolling stock in the UK

The aim of this paper is to analyse and compare the methods used for calculating emissions of UK rolling stock based on their type and mode of operation. The three modes under comparison were; diesel, electric and bi-mode. As well as comparing these three modes of operation, a comparison between Conventional, Freight and High Speed Rail was made. Alternate fuels were considered for diesel and bi-mode locomotives and compared based on their environmental impact. The emissions of trains were studied using three methods. Specifically, the three chosen methods were used to calculate the emissions of each train and a comparison of these methods was made. In the current UK energy climate, diesel trains emit less emissions than electric trains when factoring in mechanical and air resistances. Bi-mode trains have their place in the UK network but with electrification of the network currently in place, this mode of operation will become redundant in the near future. High Speed Rail, although time efficient, releases high emissions due to energy consumption increasing with the square of speed. Alternative fuels, such as biodiesel, should be a consideration for the future of rail, as emissions fall dramatically with content of biodiesel in fuel blends.     

The built environment and travel behavior in urban China: A literature review

Interests in studying of the built environment impacts on travel behavior have proliferated from North America to other parts of the world including China. Until very recently, there has been very little research into travel behavior in China. However, during the last decade, there has been a fast growing interest in studying the built environment and travel behavior in Chinese cities, perhaps motivated by China’s unprecedented urbanization and rapid urban transport development. Case studies from China provide new insights into the impacts of built environment on travel behavior that can help to enrich existing scholarship. However, currently there is a generally poor understanding of the role played by Chinese research and how it has enriched the international literature. This paper aims to fill this gap by reviewing studies in and outside China by both Chinese and non-Chinese scholars. The focus is on the contribution of these studies to the international literature. We identify four areas of contribution: how the built environment has been developed and its implications for travel behavior; the importance of housing sources in defining residential built environment and explaining travel behavior; the unique Danwei (or work unit) perspective on jobs-housing relationships and commuting behavior; and the importance of neighborhood types in explaining travel behavior in Chinese cities. The findings from this review should be relevant for researchers interested in developing future studies that will further advance geographic knowledge of the built environment and travel behavior, specifically in China and with broader global contexts.     

Planning,operation, and control of bus transport systems: A literature review

The efficiency of a transport system depends on several elements, such as available technology, governmental policies, the planning process, and control strategies. Indeed, the interaction between these elements is quite complex, leading to intractable decision making problems. The planning process and real-time control strategies have been widely studied in recent years, and there are several practical implementations with promising results. In this paper, we review the literature on Transit Network Planning problems and real-time control strategies suitable to bus transport systems. Our goal is to present a comprehensive review, emphasizing recent studies as well as works not addressed in previous reviews.     

Modelling of motorised two-wheelers: a review of the literature

Motorised two-wheeler (MTW) has emerged as the most widely used transportation mode for short distance trips in many Asian and European countries because of its affordable price and flexibility in manoeuvring through traffic. Its small size and aggressive riding patterns can considerably affect the overall traffic flow characteristics and safety. Modelling the characteristic behaviour and complex movement patterns of motorised two-wheelers is essential due to their pronounced role in microscopic traffic simulations, traffic management strategies, safety evaluation, transport planning and intelligent transportation systems. This paper begins with an overview of the determinant factors used for MTW modelling, followed by a critical review of various modelling approaches that have been adopted to depict the movement patterns of MTWs. The review concentrates on (i) identifying the factors mostly studied with respect to MTW-research, (ii) discussing the potential and limitations of each modelling approach and (iii) reporting some of the aspects that need further consideration for modelling MTWs in heterogeneous mixed traffic streams. The findings of the paper suggest that an integrated approach can be more viable to depict the unique riding patterns of motorised two-wheelers and some possible directions for future studies are also proposed.     

Seaport research: A structured literature review on methodological issues since the 1980s

This study aims to investigate how seaport research has been conducted from the methodological perspective. To this end, this study reviews published port literature for the last three decades (1980-2000s). The investigation primarily categorises the literature according to various methodological issues such as research paradigm, research strategy, base-disciplines, research methods and analysis techniques in order to provide meaningful implications on methodological evolution in seaport research for the period. This study suggests methodological bias in port research to a positivistic paradigm, following a quantitative trajectory moving from conceptual to empirical studies. In addition, the increased use of mathematical modelling and advanced statistical analysis methods is clearly observed. The introduction of advanced analytical tools used in other academic disciplines facilitates discussions in particular research area and amplifies the literature in those areas. This paper also suggests research gaps from the methodological perspective and implications for future port research.     

The longer and heavier vehicle debate: A review of empirical evidence from Germany

This paper aims to evaluate the likely effects of the adoption of Longer Heavier Vehicles (LHVs) from the perspective of logistics service providers (LSPs). The research consists of six case studies and a survey of companies which were involved LHV trials in Germany. Wider introduction of LHVs is being increasingly demanded so that road freight transport can better serve and support modern supply chains whilst achieving the desired eco-efficiency advancements. Available literature on LHVs puts a particular emphasis on five factors that need to be included in the assessment of their impact: energy efficiency, CO₂ emissions, costs, safety and infrastructure. The research provides an original and innovative empirical study refining and validating the current conceptual framework for assessing LHVs demonstrating it is a valuable tool and providing evidence that the vast majority of companies participating in our study, regardless of their size, were interested in the adoption of LHVs. However, it should be noted that a key limitation of the research is that by focusing on a single country case, the nature and scale of the findings may not reflect practice in other countries and sectors. There is also a need to examine the long-term sustainability of the improvements made.     

A literature review of flexible development of airport terminals

The Master Plan has long been the traditional go-to approach to airport development. It was originally conceived for a scenario of stable growth. In recent decades, however, the airport industry has undergone substantial structural changes, with the traditional Master Plan progressively revealing limitations with regard to airports coping with the market’s unpredictability. There have since been increased calls for flexibility in the approach as an alternative or as a complement to the traditional Master Plan. A flexible development plan helps to accommodate changes within terminals. This paper presents a review of the current literature on airport terminal flexibility, covering a total of 19 reference works. The works were analysed in terms of the concepts, definitions and deployment frameworks, or similar. The review reveals that research in airport terminal flexibility is still in its early stages. A consensual definition has yet to be defined and no robust framework for deploying flexibility has been defined. We propose a new definition of flexible development. Furthermore, flexibility has been studied essentially in the context of expansion. However, in certain regions where land availability is scarce, other forms of airport development may be more important. We conclude the paper with suggestions for future research areas.     

Comparative analysis of transit assignment: evidence from urban railway system in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area

This paper empirically compares the performance of six traffic assignment methods using the same empirical dataset of route choice. Multinomial logit (MNL), structured multinomial probit (SMNP), user equilibrium (UE), logit-based stochastic user equilibrium (SUE), probit-based SUE, and all-or-nothing (AON) assignment methods are applied to the comparative analysis. The investigated methods include those with three types of error components in their cost functions and two types of flow dependencies. Four methods of generating the route choice set are also compared for use as stochastic traffic assignment methods. The revealed preference data of urban rail route choice in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area are used for the case analysis. The empirical case analysis shows that probit-based SUE provides the best accuracy but requires the longest computation time. It also shows that the heuristics used to generate the choice set influence the method’s accuracy, while the incorporation of route commonality and in-vehicle congestion significantly improves its accuracy. Finally, the implications for practical rail planning are discussed on the basis of the analysis results.     

Travel to work and household responsibility: new evidence

A persistent empirical finding in the research on travel patterns is that women tend to engage in shorter work commutes than men. Research evaluating the degree to which this gender differential in commuting may be explained by the division of labor in the household has produced decidedly mixed findings. This paper presents a critical review of the methods and results of recent research on the gender differential in commuting along with the associated implications for the household responsibility hypothesis (HRH). While all of the articles reviewed are informative and unique, not all conclusions are well supported. The paper then tests the HRH using the 1990 NPTS travel data. The new evidence confirms that women continue to exhibit shorter commute times and distances than men and provides support for the HRH. The paper concludes with a summary of findings and recommendations for further research.     

Why are cities removing their freeways? A systematic review of the literature

ABSTRACT

A scientific consensus has recently emerged suggesting that the dominant twentieth century paradigm of solving transportation congestion problems by building more freeways failed. The legacy of the freeway construction era is clearly visible in polluted and congested cities worldwide. To battle these ills, planning academics have been promoting more sustainable built form aligned with dedicated public/active transport provision. Partly as a result of the push coming from academia, a number of cities have sought to remove their freeways and replace the freed up space with alternate transport infrastructure, such as streets and boulevards. To discern if the transportation planning profession is currently undergoing a paradigm shift or whether freeway removal is merely a temporary fad, we have conducted a systematic review of the literature. In this article, we unpack the underlying reasons which have led some cities to removing their freeways. Results reveal that a paradigm shift has arguably not yet taken place in transportation planning. While many cities are creating human-scale and active transport spaces, currently these spaces tend to coexist alongside freeways. American cities, which were once the pioneers of freeway construction, appear to be lagging behind cities in Europe and Asia in this respect. If the current pace of freeway removal continues, it may take a few decades before the transportation planners, politicians, policy makers, and communities adopt radically different norms, methods, and goals. However, a radical approach may need to be taken sooner given alarming global warming predictions.     

A new approach for improving the performance of freight train timetabling of a single-track railway system

A new approach for improving the performance of freight train timetabling for single-track railways is proposed. Using the idea of a fixed-block signaling system, we develop a matrix representation to express the occupation of inter- and intra-station tracks by trains illustrating the train blocking time diagram in its entirety. Train departure times, dwell times, and unnecessary stopping are adjusted to reduce average train travel time and single train travel time. Conflicts between successive stations and within stations are identified and solved. A fuzzy logic system is further used to adjust the range of train departure times and checks are made to determine whether dwell times and time intervals can be adjusted for passenger and freight trains at congested stations to minimize train waiting times. By combining manual scheduling expertise with the fuzzy inference method, timetable efficiency is significantly improved and becomes more flexible.     

Defining the functional and physical compatibility of a modernized tramway rolling stock with a newly planned LRT system: a case study of Belgrade

According to the Belgrade Master Plan for 2021, the public transportation system for the city and its region will include three rail modes: a modernized existing tramway, regional rail, and a new light rail transit (LRT) mode. In the coming years all three rail modes should be developed simultaneously and in a coordinated manner. The introduction of LRT is to be realized in several phases, and its first line will partially follow the alignment of an existing tramway line. As the present tramway vehicles are obsolete, new rolling stock must be designed and purchased to be compatible with many of the elements of the LRT. Ways to adjust the new tramways to the LRT rolling stock represent the central topic of this paper. The basic technical and operating characteristics of the new tramway are defined with respect to their required compatibility with the LRT stock and infrastructure.