Pub Date : 2026-01-30DOI: 10.1016/j.jrtpm.2026.100569
Julian Reisch, Peter Großmann, Reyk Weiß
We study the Track Maintenance Possession Problem which schedules maintenance works on railway tracks so that the maintenance machines are efficiently assigned and traffic restrictions are not violated. In this particular version of the problem, the maintenance works should be assigned to predefined time slots, so-called containers. We are provided real-world data for the maintenance demands, the containers, the available machines and the traffic restrictions for the whole railway network in Germany for one year. We present a Mixed Integer Program formulation for the problem and give a mathematical proof that it is NP-hard to solve. In order to be able to solve the problem on the large instance size nonetheless, we propose a Maximum Satisfiability encoding and solve the problem with a state-of-the-art solver. In our result, 95% of the maintenance demands are fulfilled which is close to an upper bound we can provide.
{"title":"A MaxSAT model for solving the track maintenance possession problem for the railway network in Germany","authors":"Julian Reisch, Peter Großmann, Reyk Weiß","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2026.100569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2026.100569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We study the Track Maintenance Possession Problem which schedules maintenance works on railway tracks so that the maintenance machines are efficiently assigned and traffic restrictions are not violated. In this particular version of the problem, the maintenance works should be assigned to predefined time slots, so-called containers. We are provided real-world data for the maintenance demands, the containers, the available machines and the traffic restrictions for the whole railway network in Germany for one year. We present a Mixed Integer Program formulation for the problem and give a mathematical proof that it is NP-hard to solve. In order to be able to solve the problem on the large instance size nonetheless, we propose a Maximum Satisfiability encoding and solve the problem with a state-of-the-art solver. In our result, 95% of the maintenance demands are fulfilled which is close to an upper bound we can provide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 100569"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-18DOI: 10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100566
Xiling Lin , Qun Chen , Yan Wang
Due to a lack of seat availability information regarding metro train carriages, passengers constantly move on platforms or inside carriages in search of seats, leading to overcrowding and safety concerns. Informing passengers of available seats and guiding them to less crowded carriages are beneficial for riding. The number of available seats at the next station is determined not only by the number of passengers currently occupying the carriage but also by the number of passengers alighting at the station. This study proposes a predictive framework that uses an optimized random forest model to estimate seat availability by analyzing metro passenger action features to predict alighting behavior. A dataset comprising 2009 passenger samples, encompassing 14 categories and totaling 9228 action features, was collected from video recordings in Changsha metro carriages. SHapley additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis demonstrated that passengers’ actions as they approach the next station—particularly moving toward the carriage exit and standing up—are strong indicators for predicting alighting behavior. Certain combinations of actions, such as “watching the information display” and “standing up” showed superior predictive effectiveness compared with individual occurrences. The predictive model achieves high accuracy in assessing seat availability, contributing to improved service and boarding efficiency.
{"title":"Predicting the alighting behavior of metro passengers based on the analysis of action features","authors":"Xiling Lin , Qun Chen , Yan Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100566","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100566","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to a lack of seat availability information regarding metro train carriages, passengers constantly move on platforms or inside carriages in search of seats, leading to overcrowding and safety concerns. Informing passengers of available seats and guiding them to less crowded carriages are beneficial for riding. The number of available seats at the next station is determined not only by the number of passengers currently occupying the carriage but also by the number of passengers alighting at the station. This study proposes a predictive framework that uses an optimized random forest model to estimate seat availability by analyzing metro passenger action features to predict alighting behavior. A dataset comprising 2009 passenger samples, encompassing 14 categories and totaling 9228 action features, was collected from video recordings in Changsha metro carriages. SHapley additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis demonstrated that passengers’ actions as they approach the next station—particularly moving toward the carriage exit and standing up—are strong indicators for predicting alighting behavior. Certain combinations of actions, such as “watching the information display” and “standing up” showed superior predictive effectiveness compared with individual occurrences. The predictive model achieves high accuracy in assessing seat availability, contributing to improved service and boarding efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 100566"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145797486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100565
Gayathri N P , Geena Prasad , Chada Narasimha Reddy , Chapa Gagan Dwaz , Guru Aswini Dath , Maitreyee Awasthi , Deepa Indira Nair
The escalating incidences of train-wildlife collisions, especially with elephants, are a real blow to forest-based wildlife conservation efforts. To enable real-time detection of wild animals such as elephants and promptly alert train operators, this study utilizes advanced deep learning algorithms integrated with camera systems installed at strategic locations along the railway tracks. The research proposes the use of WildlifeRailGuard as an innovative solution to address this issue effectively. To enable real-time detection of wild animals, such as elephants, and promptly alert train operators, this study utilizes advanced deep learning algorithms integrated with camera systems installed at strategic locations along railway tracks. Upon receiving alerts, train operators can immediately reduce speed, ensuring the safety of both passengers and wildlife. The proposed WildlifeRailGuard system also contributes to wildlife conservation by leveraging data analytics to generate valuable insights into animal behavior and movement patterns. The use of data analytics tools helps mitigate the negative effects of railway expansion on various animal species, fostering hope for achieving a sustainable balance between railway development and forest conservation.
{"title":"WildlifeRailGuard: A novel conservation technology to mitigate train-animal collisions in forest regions","authors":"Gayathri N P , Geena Prasad , Chada Narasimha Reddy , Chapa Gagan Dwaz , Guru Aswini Dath , Maitreyee Awasthi , Deepa Indira Nair","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100565","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100565","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The escalating incidences of train-wildlife collisions, especially with elephants, are a real blow to forest-based wildlife conservation efforts. To enable real-time detection of wild animals such as elephants and promptly alert train operators, this study utilizes advanced deep learning algorithms integrated with camera systems installed at strategic locations along the railway tracks. The research proposes the use of WildlifeRailGuard as an innovative solution to address this issue effectively. To enable real-time detection of wild animals, such as elephants, and promptly alert train operators, this study utilizes advanced deep learning algorithms integrated with camera systems installed at strategic locations along railway tracks. Upon receiving alerts, train operators can immediately reduce speed, ensuring the safety of both passengers and wildlife. The proposed WildlifeRailGuard system also contributes to wildlife conservation by leveraging data analytics to generate valuable insights into animal behavior and movement patterns. The use of data analytics tools helps mitigate the negative effects of railway expansion on various animal species, fostering hope for achieving a sustainable balance between railway development and forest conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 100565"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100558
Jakob Geischberger , Norman Weik , Jürgen Pannek
In densely operated European railway networks the trade-off between network utilization and service quality leads to pondering traffic volume against the reliability of services. The perspective on service reliability, however, tends to vary between stakeholders. In this paper, we investigate and assess reliability in railway networks, particularly focusing on the comparison between railway operators and users in freight transport systems: While operators mainly focus on the punctuality of trains, users typically perceive reliability on the level of transportation chains. To combine both perspectives, a new agent-based simulation approach is developed that combines a microscopic domain-specific traffic control simulation incorporating the essential properties of the signaling system with a logistical perspective featuring the flow of goods within the network. The study outlines the methodical steps of model-setup, as well as the implementation on the backbone of an agent-based, open-source simulation environment. The methodology is applied to the German railway network and effects on the two different reliability perspectives are assessed and compared. A significant deviation of transport reliability from train punctuality is observed, highlighting the benefit of incorporating the end-customer perspective in reliability evaluation. It is also found that higher amounts of segments per transportation chain lead to significantly lower reliability.
{"title":"Reliability evaluation of rail freight transport processes — An agent-based approach combining microscopic rail simulation and freight network logistics","authors":"Jakob Geischberger , Norman Weik , Jürgen Pannek","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In densely operated European railway networks the trade-off between network utilization and service quality leads to pondering traffic volume against the reliability of services. The perspective on service reliability, however, tends to vary between stakeholders. In this paper, we investigate and assess reliability in railway networks, particularly focusing on the comparison between railway operators and users in freight transport systems: While operators mainly focus on the punctuality of trains, users typically perceive reliability on the level of transportation chains. To combine both perspectives, a new agent-based simulation approach is developed that combines a microscopic domain-specific traffic control simulation incorporating the essential properties of the signaling system with a logistical perspective featuring the flow of goods within the network. The study outlines the methodical steps of model-setup, as well as the implementation on the backbone of an agent-based, open-source simulation environment. The methodology is applied to the German railway network and effects on the two different reliability perspectives are assessed and compared. A significant deviation of transport reliability from train punctuality is observed, highlighting the benefit of incorporating the end-customer perspective in reliability evaluation. It is also found that higher amounts of segments per transportation chain lead to significantly lower reliability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 100558"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145580301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper presents an innovative integrated optimization model for the train dynamic traction system efficiency (TDTSE) in power-dispersed trains. The model combines a train kinematics model and a TDTSE model to analyze the potential of power unit switching for improving the train traction system (TTS) efficiency. Sequential optimization (SO) and collaborative optimization (CO) methods are designed to focus on optimizing the energy-saving speed profile and power unit switching strategy. Improved dynamic programming (DP) incorporating coasting conditions serves as the foundation for both CO and SO. Simulation results demonstrate that power unit switching significantly reduces energy losses in the TTS. The proposed improved DP method exhibits superior energy-saving capabilities. Compared to the actual train operation, the SO and CO methods achieved energy savings of 20.34 % and 25.42 %, respectively, with CO performing better.
{"title":"An integrated optimization model for energy saving of train speed profile and power unit switching","authors":"Chengcheng Fu, Pengfei Sun, Xinghe Liu, Qingyuan Wang, Xiaoyun Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100557","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100557","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents an innovative integrated optimization model for the train dynamic traction system efficiency (TDTSE) in power-dispersed trains. The model combines a train kinematics model and a TDTSE model to analyze the potential of power unit switching for improving the train traction system (TTS) efficiency. Sequential optimization (SO) and collaborative optimization (CO) methods are designed to focus on optimizing the energy-saving speed profile and power unit switching strategy. Improved dynamic programming (DP) incorporating coasting conditions serves as the foundation for both CO and SO. Simulation results demonstrate that power unit switching significantly reduces energy losses in the TTS. The proposed improved DP method exhibits superior energy-saving capabilities. Compared to the actual train operation, the SO and CO methods achieved energy savings of 20.34 % and 25.42 %, respectively, with CO performing better.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100557"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145571447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100556
Ruben A. Kuipers , Frida Carlvik , Carl-William Palmqvist , Johan Rahm
One of the major causes of dwell time delays is the behaviour of passengers during the alighting and boarding processes, such as an uneven spread of boarding passengers and queues formed in front of the doors. Therefore, changing the behaviour of passengers so that it does not negatively affect the time needed for alighting and boarding is one of the ways to reduce the risk of dwell time delays. Platform management interventions have the potential to induce such a behavioural change, but the real-world impact is not well studied. To fill this gap, the study presented here investigates the effects of a sticker-based platform intervention using video observations from several hundred trains halting at Lund Central Station. We find that the alighting flow rates slightly increased under intervention conditions, with results suggesting that this is due to fewer overlaps in alighting and boarding passenger flows. No statistically significant effects of the intervention on the spread of boarding passengers were found. Our results suggest that changing the behaviour of passengers is likely to be a slow process, requiring additional efforts such as information provision and ensuring that the halting position of a train accurately reflects the information provided by an intervention.
{"title":"The effect of a platform management intervention on the behaviour of passengers: A case study at Lund Central station","authors":"Ruben A. Kuipers , Frida Carlvik , Carl-William Palmqvist , Johan Rahm","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100556","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100556","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>One of the major causes of dwell time delays is the behaviour of passengers during the alighting and boarding processes, such as an uneven spread of boarding passengers and queues formed in front of the doors. Therefore, changing the behaviour of passengers so that it does not negatively affect the time needed for alighting and boarding is one of the ways to reduce the risk of dwell time delays. Platform management interventions have the potential to induce such a behavioural change, but the real-world impact is not well studied. To fill this gap, the study presented here investigates the effects of a sticker-based platform intervention using video observations from several hundred trains halting at Lund Central Station. We find that the alighting flow rates slightly increased under intervention conditions, with results suggesting that this is due to fewer overlaps in alighting and boarding passenger flows. No statistically significant effects of the intervention on the spread of boarding passengers were found. Our results suggest that changing the behaviour of passengers is likely to be a slow process, requiring additional efforts such as information provision and ensuring that the halting position of a train accurately reflects the information provided by an intervention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100556"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145519580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-16DOI: 10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100555
Florian Fuchs, Bernardo Martin-Iradi, Francesco Corman
We present a novel microscopic model for railway timetabling designed to maximize periodic stability in mixed single- and multi-track networks. Unlike conventional approaches based on the Periodic Event Scheduling Problem (PESP), our model provides a detailed infrastructure representation with flexible routing and nuanced conflict resolution, enhancing adaptability to real-world constraints and facilitating practical implementation by operators. To ensure scalability, we integrate a Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT)-based approach, which efficiently narrows feasible cycle time bounds, enabling the model to handle large-scale networks. Validated on operational data from the Rhätische Bahn network—a Swiss railway with complex infrastructure—the microscopic model consistently yields lower minimal cycle times than its macroscopic counterpart. The comparative analysis also offers insights into the trade-offs between model detail, computational efficiency, and achievable cycle times across diverse operational scenarios. These findings underscore the importance of infrastructure abstraction and the careful consideration of operational and commercial interdependencies for optimal stability in complex railway networks.
{"title":"Optimizing periodic stability in railway timetables: A microscopic model for networks with a macroscopic comparison","authors":"Florian Fuchs, Bernardo Martin-Iradi, Francesco Corman","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100555","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100555","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present a novel microscopic model for railway timetabling designed to maximize periodic stability in mixed single- and multi-track networks. Unlike conventional approaches based on the Periodic Event Scheduling Problem (PESP), our model provides a detailed infrastructure representation with flexible routing and nuanced conflict resolution, enhancing adaptability to real-world constraints and facilitating practical implementation by operators. To ensure scalability, we integrate a Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT)-based approach, which efficiently narrows feasible cycle time bounds, enabling the model to handle large-scale networks. Validated on operational data from the Rhätische Bahn network—a Swiss railway with complex infrastructure—the microscopic model consistently yields lower minimal cycle times than its macroscopic counterpart. The comparative analysis also offers insights into the trade-offs between model detail, computational efficiency, and achievable cycle times across diverse operational scenarios. These findings underscore the importance of infrastructure abstraction and the careful consideration of operational and commercial interdependencies for optimal stability in complex railway networks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100555"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145323873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100554
Marta Leonina Tessitore , Marcella Samà , Giorgio Sartor , Carlo Mannino , Dario Pacciarelli
To proactively manage disturbances in railway systems, it is crucial to design robust timetables that can effectively absorb secondary delays. In practice, when route planners are tasked to produce a robust timetable, they usually start from an existing timetable and follow a complicated, iterative, and time-consuming trial-and-error process to build a new one. Given the increase in traffic demand, decision support systems are becoming essential to guide practitioners through this complex task. While several robustness measures have been proposed in the last few years, many overlook the impact of dispatching decisions on knock-on delays, limiting their real-world applicability. In this work, we introduce a fragility-based approach to timetable design, inspired by the concept of fragility recently proposed. Our approach focuses on identifying and addressing the most critical sections of the timetable to enhance the overall robustness. Specifically, we show how timetable fragility can be actually exploited by route planners to design new and more robust timetables. We propose a MILP model that aims to enhance timetable robustness by focusing on its most critical part. Considering real-life scenarios from a Norwegian railway line, our iterative approach demonstrates the ability to enhance timetable robustness, even when employing conservative strategies for potential improvements.
{"title":"An iterative fragility-based approach to timetable design","authors":"Marta Leonina Tessitore , Marcella Samà , Giorgio Sartor , Carlo Mannino , Dario Pacciarelli","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100554","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100554","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To proactively manage disturbances in railway systems, it is crucial to design robust timetables that can effectively absorb secondary delays. In practice, when route planners are tasked to produce a robust timetable, they usually start from an existing timetable and follow a complicated, iterative, and time-consuming trial-and-error process to build a new one. Given the increase in traffic demand, decision support systems are becoming essential to guide practitioners through this complex task. While several robustness measures have been proposed in the last few years, many overlook the impact of dispatching decisions on knock-on delays, limiting their real-world applicability. In this work, we introduce a fragility-based approach to timetable design, inspired by the concept of fragility recently proposed. Our approach focuses on identifying and addressing the most critical sections of the timetable to enhance the overall robustness. Specifically, we show how timetable fragility can be actually exploited by route planners to design new and more robust timetables. We propose a MILP model that aims to enhance timetable robustness by focusing on its most critical part. Considering real-life scenarios from a Norwegian railway line, our iterative approach demonstrates the ability to enhance timetable robustness, even when employing conservative strategies for potential improvements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100554"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145323875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-11DOI: 10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100552
Richard Schaeffer , Daria Ivina , Gemma Nicholson , Paul Plummer , Sergeĭ Sergeev
Railway maintenance scheduling requires rigorous planning to ensure harmony between the agents involved. The roles of these agents can vary from country to country; however, the infrastructure manager usually oversees the railway operations and controls access to the railway network for maintenance measures. Trackwork requires time free from train traffic — therefore, this will be the main discussion point of this paper. In particular, the negotiations between infrastructure managers and maintenance undertakers regarding time on track in the capacity allocation process. Irrationality in negotiations for time on track is a consequence of the aims and responsibilities of each agent, as well as imbalance of leverage. This paper models the scenario as a Stackelberg game and solves the problem using methods from bilevel optimisation. The model considers factors that affect leverage, such as the urgency of the works and quality of other available options - e.g. outside parties that may be able to provide a better deal, known as the Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement. The results from a worked example using synthetic data provide evidence that there is a significant surplus of utility being left on the table due to non-cooperation between agents, and corrective rather than preventative maintenance.
{"title":"A bilevel programming and bargaining game approach to negotiations regarding time on track for railway maintenance","authors":"Richard Schaeffer , Daria Ivina , Gemma Nicholson , Paul Plummer , Sergeĭ Sergeev","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100552","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100552","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Railway maintenance scheduling requires rigorous planning to ensure harmony between the agents involved. The roles of these agents can vary from country to country; however, the infrastructure manager usually oversees the railway operations and controls access to the railway network for maintenance measures. Trackwork requires time free from train traffic — therefore, this will be the main discussion point of this paper. In particular, the negotiations between infrastructure managers and maintenance undertakers regarding time on track in the capacity allocation process. Irrationality in negotiations for time on track is a consequence of the aims and responsibilities of each agent, as well as imbalance of leverage. This paper models the scenario as a Stackelberg game and solves the problem using methods from bilevel optimisation. The model considers factors that affect leverage, such as the urgency of the works and quality of other available options - e.g. outside parties that may be able to provide a better deal, known as the Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement. The results from a worked example using synthetic data provide evidence that there is a significant surplus of utility being left on the table due to non-cooperation between agents, and corrective rather than preventative maintenance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100552"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-11DOI: 10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100553
Steffi , Sunita Kumawat , Sakshi Gupta , Francesco Flammini
Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized sectors such as transportation through enabling smart, interdependent systems that propel operational efficiency, safety, and user experience. Integrating IoT devices, however, into complex systems, for instance, rail networks, exposes such systems to conflict, which negatively impacts performance, safety, and reliability. This paper explores the conflict detection and resolution for IoT-based railway systems using Petri nets, a formal modeling methodology famous for its ability to model and analyze dynamic systems. The current research delves into the inherent challenges of IoT-based railway systems, such as sensor data conflict, network congestion, and interoperability issues between systems. The current work then builds a framework in terms of Petri nets to define the system's components, interaction, and areas of conflict. By modeling the system processes, data flows, and dependencies with Petri nets, the paper identifies conflict scenarios and proposes resolution mechanisms to prevent risks. The key contribution of this paper is the application of Petri net to detect conflicts in real-time by analyzing the operational flow of the system. The paper also proposes a conflict resolution mechanism based on feedback loops and synchronization mechanisms in the Petri net model. By simulation, the research demonstrates that the envisioned framework improves the robustness and reliability of IoT-enabling railway systems while keeping up with effective operations despite the complexities of connecting diverse IoT devices. The paper contributes valuable inputs toward designing resilient IoT-enabled railway systems and establishes grounds for future study in conflict detection and resolution in complex dynamic systems.
{"title":"Conflict detection and resolution in IoT-Enabled railway systems using Petri nets","authors":"Steffi , Sunita Kumawat , Sakshi Gupta , Francesco Flammini","doi":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrtpm.2025.100553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized sectors such as transportation through enabling smart, interdependent systems that propel operational efficiency, safety, and user experience. Integrating IoT devices, however, into complex systems, for instance, rail networks, exposes such systems to conflict, which negatively impacts performance, safety, and reliability. This paper explores the conflict detection and resolution for IoT-based railway systems using Petri nets, a formal modeling methodology famous for its ability to model and analyze dynamic systems. The current research delves into the inherent challenges of IoT-based railway systems, such as sensor data conflict, network congestion, and interoperability issues between systems. The current work then builds a framework in terms of Petri nets to define the system's components, interaction, and areas of conflict. By modeling the system processes, data flows, and dependencies with Petri nets, the paper identifies conflict scenarios and proposes resolution mechanisms to prevent risks. The key contribution of this paper is the application of Petri net to detect conflicts in real-time by analyzing the operational flow of the system. The paper also proposes a conflict resolution mechanism based on feedback loops and synchronization mechanisms in the Petri net model. By simulation, the research demonstrates that the envisioned framework improves the robustness and reliability of IoT-enabling railway systems while keeping up with effective operations despite the complexities of connecting diverse IoT devices. The paper contributes valuable inputs toward designing resilient IoT-enabled railway systems and establishes grounds for future study in conflict detection and resolution in complex dynamic systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51821,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100553"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145323874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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