A NEW INTEGRATED APPROACH TO DYNAMIC SCHEDULE SYNCHRONIZATION AND ENERGY-SAVING TRAIN CONTROL

Abstract

This paper presents a new approach to fulfill conflicting goals of dynamic schedule synchronization and energy saving in rapid rail transit systems. For public transport operators, passenger transfers between mass rapid transit systems and road-bound means of transport are unavoidable to ensure efficient operation. But for passengers transfering between different modes of transport, it can be a major annoyance when connections are missed. This work aims to propose an algorithm for the dynamic modification of train running times in such a way that the probability of getting connections to other means of public transport can be increased and overall energy consumption of train operation remains low. An optimal train timetable can be computed in real-time using the dynamic programming method (Bellman). Energy consumption and waiting time due to missing a connection form the bicriterion optimization function. Simulation with MATLAB/SIMULINK has shown the feasibility of the algorithm within an assumed automatic train operation environment. A driver-assistance system will be developed to ensure the feasibility of the proposed method for manually driven trains. This system is being tested in a train simulator at Dresden University of Technology and will be used on demonstrator trains of the Dresden suburban railway by 2004.