2020 Volume 61 Issue 4 Pages 235-239
Various systems using Information Technology (IT) have been developed for automating or supporting train operation and traffic management. However, some tasks still depend on the experience and knowledge of dispatchers. For this reason, dispatchers are subject to significant pressure, not only for daily traffic management, but even more when dispatching operations in case of emergencies or disasters. Dispatchers who manage train operations and control traffic need to make quick decisions based on a large amount of information, so it is required to reduce the difficulty and load of dispatchers. Recent years have seen the development of systems for predicting and/or making decisions about train operations, using Information and Communication Technology (ICT), such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data analysis, in order to alleviate the pressure placed on dispatchers and reduce the time required for resuming train operations after a disruption, based on information on passenger flow, operating conditions, weather conditions, etc. This paper introduces plans for R & D relating to train operation management support systems using ICT, to be included in the next multi-year RTRI master plan which will run from FY 2020, based on R & D conducted during the RTRI master plan which ran from FY2015 to Y2019.