Optimizing operations and use of railway networks

The railway system with its manifold processes makes high demands on railway operations, especially in a liberalized market.

The support of people working within those processes, and the conservation of resources are important areas of current research of our chair.

To gain minimal track access costs for customers, the costly rail infrastructure must be optimally utilized in order to spread the costs among many users. However, the railway companies as customers demand, that their trains ride on time through the network as planned. The art of timetable scheduling, supported by innovative software tools enables the desired level of punctuality.

 

• Optimisation of infrastructure utilisation by market mechanisms [2]
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Based on theoretical studies on energy-saving driving strategies carried out at our chair, a software for the operation of mass transit vehicles has been developed. With it, depending on the current timetable situation, the driver gets driving recommendations, with which the energy consumption can be reduced. In addition, a software is developed to optimize the timetables with respect to a minimal energy consumption.

 

• ELS - Energy Optimised Dispatching and Disruption Management for Urban Railway Systems [3]
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The demands on human-machine interactions in the transport sector are becoming more and more complex. The optimisation of operations control and vehicle control are two core research topics of the chair. Within the frame of several projects, the driver-vehicle interfaces were examined and optimised with regard to harmonisation and profitability, for example by developing LCC tools.

Currently, a new EUDD+ mock-up is being installed to conduct further studies on driver's behaviour and human-factors engineering.

 

• EUDD plus [4]
• EUDD - European Driver's Desk [5]
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