Communication architecture for real-time decision support systems in railway nodes

Abstract

Rail transport nodes are complex systems providing transport for goods and people. The dispatcher providing operational control is essential for the proper functioning of these nodes. His role mainly consists of decision-making connected with the allocation of limited resources such as tracks or personnel. These decisions are complicated because of many unexpected influences, e.g., train delays. Recognizing the importance of decision support for the dispatcher's decision-making process, we had designed a real-time decision support system with a simulation model at its core. Such a system requires a high-quality information source for its operation, that needs to be efficiently acquired, processed, and used. In this paper, therefore, we address the possibilities of obtaining up-to-date information about the railway system. Moreover, we designed a communication architecture that allows the distribution of information to the designed decision support system with a simulation model in the core.