Scheduling‐measure dependent modelling of delay propagation on a single railway line: A matrix transformation approach

Abstract

Abstract This paper proposes an analytical delay propagation model for single railway lines based on the max‐plus algebra theory. The scheduling measures taken by dispatchers, including re‐timing and re‐ordering, will be incorporated into our delay propagation model using a matrix transformation method. An analysis of delay propagation under some typical emergencies such as segment blockages and train speed limitation is performed. Numerical simulations show that the proposed train delay propagation model can predict emergency‐induced train delays under different scheduling strategies, thus may give a guidance to improve the traffic management. In the high‐speed railway train system, the scheduling measures taken by dispatchers, such as re‐timing and re‐ordering, can be formulated as a delay propagation model using a matrix transformation method.

Keywords

• delay propagation
• max‐plus algebra
• matrix transformation
• train delays
• Systems theory applications in transportation
• Linear algebra (numerical analysis)