Title

Operations Research for Freight Train Routing and Scheduling

Document Type

Encyclopedia Entry

Publication Date

2010

Publication Source

Wiley Encyclopedia of Operations Research and Management Science

Abstract

This article describes the service design activities that plan and implement the rail freight operating plan. Elements of strategic service design include the setting of train frequency, the routing of cars among trains, and the consolidation of cars, called blocking. At the operational level, trains are dispatched either according to train paths configured in advance, called timetables, or according to priority rules. We describe the North American and European practice along with selected modeling and problem solving methodologies appropriate for each of the operating conditions described.

ISBN/ISSN

9780470400531

Comments

Permission documentation is on file.

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

Place of Publication

Hoboken, NJ

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