Dispatching Rules: Track Utilization Scheduling Problem in Railway Passenger Stations

摘要

This paper proposes several dispatching rules and rule-based heuristic algorithms for solving track utilization scheduling problem (TUSP) in railway passenger stations, which is expressed as scheduling models concerning train pathing, track and platform application, capacity utilization and resources proportional use. As for TUSP without earliness and lateness time window (ELTW), we set up a mathematic programming model (MPM) and also a multi-criteria scheduling model (MCS), which both aim to minimize the train weight-tardiness number and maximize the efficiency of track utilization. Then, we propose a time window scheduling model (TWS) for TUSP with ELTW. Furthermore, we design series of dispatching rules and solution improvement strategies, and present universal rule-based heuristic algorithms to solve all the above models. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the utility of proposed models and the effectiveness of the solution algorithm, and also to compare the results with alternative dispatching rules presented in the paper so as to find simple and applicable dispatching rules for TUSP with or without ELTW.