Train Platforming at a Terminal and Its Adjacent Station to Maximize Throughput: Formulation as a Network Flow Problem

Abstract

Terminal stations in intercity rail transportation are often equipped with many trucks, and trains arrive at and depart from these stations frequently. Reduction of headway time, however, would be limited and certain methodology will be required to fully utilize the capacity of these terminal stations. These terminal stations are often so-called stub stations, where trains arriving there change ends and direction. Time for passengers to get off/on a train together with time for clean-up would be needed, but it is not desired for trains to unnecessarily occupy platforms for a long time. We focus on lines in which an intermediate station exists in the close proximity of the terminal, and propose an optimization model formulated into 0-1 integer program to evaluate the effects of utilizing turn backs at an intermediate station on the line throughput. Two cases are studied supposing intercity rail transportation in Japan such as bullet-train (Shinkansen) lines both originating from Tokyo terminal and numerical results are reported.