1. Operation-driven Scheduling Approach for Fast, Frequent and Reliable Railway Services
Alfons A.M. Schaafsma, Vincent A. Weeda ProRail, Department of Traffic Control

2. Rail Transport Growth! On existing network: Efficient capacity use
(exactly right reservation, multifunctional)
Local measures (RailDelft, CompRail XI)
now: Approach
Feedback: Continuous Improvement
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3. Objective: Matching Schedule and Operation
Operation according to output standards?
Yes No
Schedule feasible according to standards?
Yes
OK.
1. Measures in operation.
2. Adapt the schedule to the operation.
Apply DTM measures
Apply standards pragmatically No
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4. Monitoring: Time Windows
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5. Meppel: Synchronisation Point
Operation according to output standards?
Yes No
Schedule feasible according to standards?
Is gaining speed possible?
1. Measures in operation.
2. Adapt the schedule to the operation.
Apply standards pragmatically
Apply DTM measures
Meppel: Synchronisation Point
2nd Train: Groningen .04
Hoogeveen .42
.56/.57
Zwolle
Meppel
South
1st Train:
Leeuwarden .04
Schedule: arr .52/ dep .53
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6. Meppel: Adverse Effects of Margins
Dwell time Meppel (sec)
1st Train
blocks way
Departure delay Hoogeveen (min)
Running time Hoogeveen-Meppel (min)
2nd Train
runs into conflict
Arrival delay Meppel (min)
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7. Dordrecht Bridge Hour pattern  Incidental capacity claim 6x/day
Operation according to output standards?
Yes No
Schedule feasible according to standards?
Is gaining speed possible?
1. Measures in operation.
2. Adapt the schedule to the operation.
Apply standards pragmatically
Apply DTM measures
Dordrecht Bridge
Hour pattern  Incidental capacity claim
6x/day
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8. Conflict-free Scheduling Approach
Early due to margin
Conflict (dotted line would be conflict-free)
Standard headway
Time
Distance
Same headway
Saved travel time
No margin on the route
Choose sync. points (limited #)
Allocate margin just before sync. point
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9. Conflict-free Scheduling Approach
Choose sync. points (limited #)
Allocate margin just before sync. point
Use feasible headway & cross times
4. Differentiate standards (incidental trains)
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10. Apply DTM Measures QUANTITY bottleneck
Operation according to output standards?
Yes No
Schedule feasible according to standards?
Is gaining speed possible?
1. Measures in operation.
2. Adapt the schedule to the operation.
Apply standards pragmatically
Apply DTM measures
Apply DTM Measures
QUANTITY bottleneck
Hourly capacity is not sufficient
Example: Schiphol tunnel
Platform capacity
Conflicting routes
QUALITY bottleneck
Hourly capacity is sufficient,
Customer specs. can not be met
Example: Amsterdam- Utrecht
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11. Example Quality Bottleneck
Amsterdam
3000
Hdr - Nm
Example Quality Bottleneck
Schiphol
3500
Shl - Ehv 33 29
Utrecht 32 26
First Come First Serve
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12. DTM: optimising the use of capacity in bottlenecks in 5 steps
2. DTM arrangements for flow optimising
1. Identification of bottlenecks
3. Effect on speed and width time window?
4. Defining of buffer after bottleneck
5. Measuring and fine tuning
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13. Conclusion: Matching Schedule and Operation
Operation according to output standards?
Yes No
Schedule feasible according to standards?
Yes
Is gaining speed possible?
1. Measures in operation.
2. Adapt the schedule to the operation. No
Apply standards pragmatically
Apply DTM measures
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14. “Traveling without a timetable” enabled by
A Different Approach to
                                 
                          
Scheduling and Dispatching trains
Capacity Allocation
Capacity Growth Planning
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15. Discussion Issues
Flexible standards make fair capacity management difficult.
Dense traffic requires local timetable solutions.
Bottleneck approach indentifies the capacity problems in a network.
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