Self-organized train dispatching
| Self-organized train dispatching | |
|---|---|
status: finished
| |
| Master: | project within::Computational Intelligence and Selforganisation |
| Student name: | student name::Sander Bouwhuis |
| number: | student number::0000000 |
| Dates | |
| Start | start date:=2008/03/01 |
| End | end date:=2009/06/01 |
| Supervision | |
| Supervisor: | Martijn Schut |
| Second reader: | has second reader::Guszti Eiben |
| Company: | has company::NS Spoorwegen |
| Poster: | has poster::Media:Media:Posternaam.pdf |
Signature supervisor
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Abstract
While a good timetable in theory allows trains to move without being interrupted, in practice this hardly ever happens. Problems arise due to a variety of reasons, such as accidents or malfunctioning rolling stock. These incidents are very hard to predict, and while their direct effect is usually quite manageable, they are also the leading cause of so-called knock-on or secondary delays. Secondary delays happen when a train cannot reach its destination on time, affecting another train when for instance a train driver cannot make it to his next scheduled service in time. This causes the second train to be delayed because of the first one.
In my master project at the Dutch Railways (NS), I investigate the application of self organization in this field. Agents representing trains and stations will work out a solution to conflicting situations based on their local information, instead of relying on central dispatchers who are often poorly equipped for handling short and urgent delays. The objective is to minimize the effect of secondary delays in the system by being able to respond to smaller and therefore more manageable delays in a timely fashion.
