INCREASING THE SPEED OF FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION BY MEANS OF OPTIMIZATION

Abstract

The article considers increasing the speed of freight delivery by rail using the existing capacity, infrastructure and resources. Possible options and technologies to speed up the delivery of freight are analyzed on the basis of experience of other countries. A mathematical solution to the optimization problem is proposed – achieving a certain level of service with minimal costs associated with the downtime of handling facilities. The purpose of the study is to determine to what extent such characteristics as transit time, queueing time for loading of goods, etc., can change during the transition from conventional freight transportation to high-speed one. Mathematical simulation methods were used to estimate the change in the characteristics of freight transportation when the speed increases. Freight transportation was considered as a mathematical queuing system (QS). Accordingly, the characteristics of two QSs with the same intensity of the order workflow and different intensities of the service workflow at a service are compared. That is, the characteristics of movement of freight trains in the transition from regular traffic to high-speed traffic are compared. The formulas proposed in the paper will allow to study the dependence of the number of freight trains and the downtime of handling facilities on the intensity of the service workflow, i.e. on the speed of movement. It will also allow to determine intensity of a service workflow which is necessary to achieve the given average time which an order stays in system, i.e. to find the speed of freight traffic required to achieve the given average trip time. Conducting this research will allow to conclude about advantages or disadvantages of transportation by high-speed freight trains in comparison with conventional freight trains and expediency of their introduction on certain sites.