Rail

Railroad Classification Yard Throughput: The Case of Multistage Triangular Sorting

Carlos Daganzo
Dowling, Richard G.
Hall, Randolph W.
1983

Procedures for improving the efficiency of classification yard operations are studied in this paper. Multistage sorting strategies make efficient use of land and tracks. Equations are derived giving the service time per car and space requirements of three multistage sorting strategies: the sorting-by-block, the sorting-by-train, and the triangular sorting strategies. Exact service time formulas are given for the first two strategies, and an approximation is given for the last strategy. The approximation, when compared with exact calculations, proved to be quite robust. Errors were on the...

Static Blocking at Railyards: Sorting Implications and Track Requirements

Carlos Daganzo
1986

In this paper, various strategies for minimizing the amount of switching done at a classification yard are examined. We investigate how the allocation of blocks (the sorting classes recognized at the yard) to classification tracks affects switching work. Given are the sorting classes, as well as the schedule and block makeup of the departing trains. Only static strategies are considered—strategies where every block has been assigned permanently to a classification track. Simple formulas are given for the minimum number of tracks needed to implement a strategy, and for the amount of...

Dynamic Blocking for Railyards: Part I. Homogeneous Traffic

Carlos Daganzo
1987

This paper and its companion present a study of railroad classification yard strategies that allow for blocks of destinations to be assigned to classification tracks in different ways, depending on the time of day, week or month. With the same number of tracks, more classifications can be handled by this method. The paper examines homogeneous traffic; that is, traffic patterns where all blocks have the same amount of traffic, where cars for all blocks depart equally frequently from the yard and where the overall traffic flow does not change with time. The results represent the beginning of...

Dynamic Blocking for Railyards: Part II. Heterogeneous Traffic

Carlos Daganzo
1987

Traffic through a railroad yard is said to be heterogeneous if all the destinations are not served with the same frequency. This paper presents a study of railroad yards when traffic is heterogeneous and stationary, that is, without rush hour (or rush day) phenomena. Destinations (blocks) are grouped into categories that are served with the same frequency. The number of blocks and the frequency corresponding to each class are the only traffic characteristics that need to be known to analyze a given yard. With this information it is easy to determine the minimum number of tracks needed, and...

An Operating System for Extra Long Urban Trains

Carlos Daganzo
2022

The paper presents a new method for operating urban railways that, without building any additional infrastructure or significantly changing the passengers’ level-of-service, allows an agency to run trains up to three times longer than existing station platforms and still fill them with passengers. An operating system (OS) underpinning the new method is presented. The only requirement of the rolling stock is that the doors in different parts of each train (e.g., its cars) can be operated independently. The extra-long trains (XLTs) can protrude beyond both ends of the station platforms—in...

Light Rail System Safety Improvements Using ITS Technologies

Chira-chavala, Ted
Coifman, Ben
Empey, Dan
Mark Hansen
Lechner, Ed
Porter, Chris
1997

This report describes research which studied identifying and analyzing the effectiveness of countermeasures designed to reduce light rail crashes. Focus is in collisions with road vehicles at intersections. The light rail system for the Santa Clara County Transportation Agency in California served as the focus of the study.

Interaction of Air and High-Speed Rail in Japan

Clever, Reinhard
Mark Hansen
2008

There has been a unique convergence of factors that have contributed to Japan's outstanding public transportation system. The paper focuses on two modes of transportation: air and high-speed rail (HSR). These two modes do not complement each other as in Europe, but compete head-on in Japan. Moreover, Japan does not have to contend with market-distorting public subsidies, because both companies operating HSR in the corridor of interest are highly profitable, primarily because of their HSR service. The Japanese transportation system therefore provides an excellent environment in which to...

Review of “Bay Area/California High-Speed Rail Ridership and Revenue Forecasting Study”

Brownstone, David
Mark Hansen
Madanat, Samer
2010

We have reviewed the key components of the California High Speed Rail Ridership Studies. The primary contractor for these studies, Cambridge Systematics (CS), has followed generally accepted professional standards in carrying out the demand modeling and analysis. Nevertheless we have found some significant problems that render the key demand forecasting models unreliable for policy analysis. This Executive Summary describes the most serious problems. The body of this report elaborates on these problems and describes additional concerns we have. In broad terms, the approach taken by CS...

Back on Track? Reassessing Rail Transport for California's Perishable Produce

Seeherman, Joshua
Karen Trapenberg Frick
Caicedo, Juan
Mark Hansen
2018

Moving perishable produce by rail, rather than by truck, could provide significant benefits for Californians.

Assessing the Impacts of State-supported Rail Services on Local Population and Employment: A California Case Study

Talebian, Ahmadreza
Zou, Bo
Mark Hansen
2018

The State of California has been financially supporting Amtrak intercity passenger rail services since 1976. This paper studies the impacts of this support on local population and employment at both county and city levels. We use datasets which include geographic, transportation, and socioeconomic characteristics of California counties and cities from 1950 to 2010. Propensity score, one-to-one matching models are employed to draw units from the control group, which are counties/cities that do not have a state-supported Amtrak station, to match with units from the treatment group, which are...