Evaluating Locations of Future Intercity Passenger Rail Maintenance

Abstract

This paper develops a multi-objective optimization methodology to identify potential location of a future intercity passenger rail maintenance and layover facility. Quantifiable factors which are critical in location decision making are considered in the proposed methodology. These factors consist of vulnerability to natural disasters, proximity to an existing rail line and station and to an already existing facility. These factors often drive the initial choice of a maintenance/layover facility. An application example is presented with five future potential site locations in California. These sites are tentative based on interviews conducted with the engineers and staff at two existing rail maintenance and layover facilities in California—the Oakland Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) and the Stockton Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) Maintenance and Layover Facility. Based on the methodology outlined in this research, it was found that one of the sites located close to the Union Pacific rail line could be the most preferred site for a future location of a maintenance and a layover facility. This site satisfied all factors considered in this research, namely minimum risk level associated with seismicity and other natural hazards, minimum distance from the existing facilities, minimum distance traveled to the nearest station, and minimum distance to the closest point on a rail line. The methodology proposed is particularly relevant for developing countries like India—which has a vast network of intercity passenger rail network with high fleet operational hours and frequencies between certain origins and destinations and the trains need regular maintenance.KeywordsRailMaintenanceOperationsFacilityLocation