Using Profit-Maximizing Capacity Framework and Models for Railway Capacity Management

摘要

The booming demand for rail services presents a challenge to railway capacity worldwide. Rail infrastructure managers are facing critical issues regarding how to efficiently utilize track resources and possibly optimize the allocation of track capacity. The traditional definition of rail capacity is usually based on the maximum number of trains that can be operated in a section of track in a given period. The unit (trains/h or trains/day) does not reflect the train types or consider the revenue generated by each train. To overcome these limitations, this research proposed a new concept, profit-maximizing capacity (PMC), and established corresponding framework and models to maximize the profit generated from capacity according to demand and system characteristics. Computational results from the case studies demonstrate that the optimal usage of the rail infrastructure can be obtained through the use of PMC framework and models. Compared to the conventional capacity management strategy, the developed method can provide substantial benefit from more efficient track utilization and capacity allocation. Using this framework can help infrastructure managers formulate better capacity management strategies, thereby leading to a more efficient and sustainable railway system.