Analysis of Performance of Mitigating Delay Propagation for Railways Operated by Moving Block Signaling Considering Turn-back Stations

Abstract

Mitigating delay propagation owing to excess dwell time at stations is crucial for ensuring stable transport regarding high-frequency urban train services. Previously, we assumed that only one train could enter the entire station section because trains may move back at a station section, which worsens the delay propagation. In this paper, we propose a partial moving block signaling operation, in which trains are operated by moving block signaling at a station after the platform doors open. We numerically verify the effectiveness of reducing the delay time based on case studies including the whole line. The results reveal that the partial moving block signaling operation can further mitigate delay propagation. However, turn-back stations present bottle-neck owing to their fixed block signaling restriction.