Delay Management in Regional Railway Transport

Rudolf Vávra,Vít Janoš

doi:10.3390/app12010457

Abstract

This article is focused on the reliability of transfer connections in regional railway transport. The reliability of the transportation chain in public transport is an essential element for functional, attractive, and long-term sustainable public transport. This article discusses the causes and consequences of railway traffic disruption and related impacts on passenger transfer connections. To reduce the negative impacts of common operational disruptions, the authors present an original approach for determining transfer waiting times between delayed trains based on a modified critical path method (CPM). In addition, an example of the implementation of this method in regional railway transport in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic is provided.

Highlights

For public service functionality, it is necessary to maintain the integrity of the transportation chain in passenger transport as part of the network for public transport planning
The authors develop an original approach for determining transfer waiting times, based on a modified critical path method (CPM), which is understood to be an effective tool for the management of delays that are due to common operational disruptions
Introduction to the Czech Praxis In Czech railway transport, the basic terms related to transfer waiting times are defined in the timetable manual, “Transfer connections between passenger trains” [30], which is published by Czech Infrastructure Manager Správa železnic (“IM SŽ”)

Summary

Introduction

For public service functionality (which includes accuracy and reliability), it is necessary to maintain the integrity of the transportation chain in passenger transport as part of the network for public transport planning. The anticipated impact of applying this approach in practice is that waiting times would not be merely estimated (which, is the common Czech praxis); rather, they would be calculated, so that delays caused by waiting for connecting trains do not interrupt relevant transfer bindings and the transportation chain remains compact. It is necessary, to mention that this approach does not include the passenger-time consideration. Continuing trains do not have to wait for a connecting train to set the transfer waiting time if there is no transferring frequency of passengers for the continuing train, if this is announced by train staff to operation employees

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Discussion

Conclusion