High-speed Rail Corridor Research Articles

Metaheuristics-based multistage iterative optimization framework for decomposed high-speed rail systems planning problem

High-speed rail (HSR) systems planning and decision-making is a large-scale, multistage, intricate problem, where each stage represents a complex sub-problem. The solution approach to the multistage problem needs information exchange across the stages. A non-optimal planning and decision at any stage could yield a sub-optimal HSR system. This study proposes a novel multistage iterative HSR station location and alignment optimization framework (HSLAOF) to solve the main problem by decomposing it into the identification of (a) HSR potential regions and corridor, (b) station location, (c) shortest sequence/corridor of stations, and (d) collision-free alignment (horizontal and vertical) sub-problems. It integrates these sub-problems, which are solved separately using customized artificial intelligence- and motion planning-based metaheuristics such as particle swarm optimization for station location, ant colony optimization for shortest sequence of stations, path planner method for horizontal alignment and exploration, and exploitation-based ant colony optimization for vertical profile. In HSLAOF, the information from the upper and lower stages of the optimization process are exchanged and combined for a holistic optimized HSR system. Application of HSLAOF in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR project yielded a solution that has 14.24 % lower total system cost, no environmental impact, 5.82 % better socio-economic impact, 21.14 % lesser noise and vibration impacted population, and 2.79 % higher station location utility than the one proposed by the experts. For predefined station location, the HSLAOF yielded alignment with 13.90 % lower total system cost and 24.00 % less noise and vibration impacted population than the one developed by experts. It required about 150 min to obtain a solution for each iteration.

A methodology to estimate the benefits and costs of stakeholder engagement in a transport decision-making process

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to propose a methodology to estimate the benefits and costs of stakeholder engagement (SE). Indeed, in the transport sector, it is consolidated that a good decision-making process foresees the involvement of the main stakeholders, but what are the benefits and costs of the SE? How to quantify these impacts and explicitly take them into account in a cost-benefit analysis? In this paper, an attempt to answer these questions is provided.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, a methodology is proposed to estimate the benefits and costs of SE. Moreover, the proposed methodology is applied to a case study with an attempt to identify direct and indirect cost and benefit drivers within the context.FindingsA range of examples of the monetary costs and benefits of SE is provided through the case study of the high-speed rail corridor connecting Bari and Naples in Italy.Research limitations/implicationsLimits in quantifying all the aspects of engagement.Practical implicationsTo be adopted by public administrations when deciding whether carrying out a project.Social implicationsSocial inclusion is a must in any decision-making process concerning big projects affecting the community.Originality/valueThe original value of this paper is to provide a contribution to the current literature on the quantitative representation of the impacts of SE. Indeed, a methodology to quantify and monetize the costs and benefits of SE is proposed.

Exploring Foreign Direct Investment in Railway Modernisation Projects in India

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) refers to the investment made by an external actor, business interests of another country. The article aims to examine the role of FDI in the modernisation projects in the Railways sector, using empirical and analytical approaches through the use of primary and secondary data sources. The study reveals that FDI has helped India undertake modernisation projects such as High-Speed Rail Corridors and Dedicated Freight Corridors. An essential outcome of the analysis is the need for stability in the policymaking process for attracting foreign players in the Railways modernisation projects.

Determinat,on of the best transport alternatives by entropy based WASPAS method: a comparative study on cross-competetive routes

Purpose- Users typically choose the option that is most convenient for them in terms of time or cost based on their preferences when multiple options are presented on the same line. In this regard, users' preferences are significantly impacted by the product components given by competing travel options. The aim of this study is to evaluate the criteria that are considered to be effective in competition and user preferences in transport corridors where there is cross-competition, and to rank the routes according to these criteria. Methodology- In this context, transport corridors in Turkey and some European countries have been selected. The criteria evaluation of the selected routes was carried out using the Entropy method and then the ranking of the routes was carried out using the WASPAS method. Findings- It can be seen that the London-Manchester air route is ranked first, while the Paris-Lyon air route is ranked last in the study. Taking into account the HSR ranking, the London-Manchester corridor is in first place, as in the airline sector. Among the selected routes, the Ankara-Istanbul HSR corridor is ranked the last. When it comes to bus transport, the Ankara-Istanbul route is in the top position. On the other hand, the Berlin-Frankfurt corridor comes last. Conclusion- The results of the research are important in terms of understanding the factors that are effective in cross-competition By considering the performance criteria of these routes and their respective weightings, it can inform decisions related to the regulation of fares or the development of investment programmes to enhance the competitiveness of public transport modes such as High Speed Rail (HSR). In essence, this research fills a gap in transport decision studies by providing a comprehensive analysis of routes across all modes and providing actionable insights for policy makers. Keywords: Cross competition, transportation modes, airline, WASPAS, entropy. JEL Codes: D61, L91, L93.

In the Time of Megaprojects: Classed Temporal Scales along a Moroccan Highspeed-Rail Corridor

ABSTRACT Capitalizing on its comparative political and social stability in the region, the Moroccan regime has been attracting global and regional investors with the promise of new ‘megaprojects’ that aim to radically transform local natural, economic and social landscapes. Inaugurated in 2018, Morocco’s (and Africa’s) first high-speed rail line (LGV) is a flagship megaproject. Part of a wider ‘development corridor’, this 2-billion-euro infrastructure has become invested with political, ideological, and affective meanings related to ideas of mobility and future prosperity, even as it violently displaced informal housing communities and created disruptions along the existing network. This paper focuses on the LGV's temporal dimensions and organizes the discussion around three overlapping time-scales, which I identify as co-productive of the politics, promises and experiences of contemporary megaprojects. Scaling emerges as a political process of spatiotemporal re-ordering that contributes to the consolidation of unequal social orders while also providing a conduit for their critique.

A System Optimization Approach for Trains’ Operation Plan with a Time Flexible Pricing Strategy for High-Speed Rail Corridors

Optimizing the train plan for high-speed rail systems should consider both the passengers’ demands and enterprise’s benefits. The choice of the departure time period is the most important factor affecting the passenger demand distribution. In this paper, the optimization problem of a train operation plan based on time period preference is studied for a high-speed rail corridor. First, according to the travel process of the passengers, the extended service network for a high-speed rail system is established. The main factors that influence the passengers’ travel choices are analyzed, and the departure time period preference, stop time and flexible pricing strategy based on the time period preference are put forward. The generalized travel cost function, including the convenience, ticket fare and stop time costs, is constructed, and a two-level programming model is established based on the function. The upper-level planning model is formulated as a mixed 0–1 programming problem that aims at maximizing the revenue of the railway enterprise. It is mainly constrained by passenger travel demand and solved by improved genetic algorithms. The lower-level model is a user equilibrium (UE) model. The Frank–Wolfe algorithm is used to allocate multiple groups of OD (origin and destination) passenger flows to each train so that the generalized travel expenses of all the passengers with the same OD are minimized and equal. Finally, the train operation plan is solved based on the Lan-xi (Lanzhou–Xi’an) high-speed rail data, and the validity of both the model and algorithm is verified.

A Case Study on Environmental Impact Assessment of Mumbai–Ahmadabad High-Speed Rail Corridor

This case study highlights some notable features of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan of Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, India. The study reflects benefits, alternatives and probable impacts of the project. Also, suggestions and recommendations to apply as mitigation measures are discussed here. The study is based on a joint study conducted by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

An innovative framework for integrating Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) within Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Carrying out correctly and objectively a CBA (Cost Benefit Analysis) means planning and designing sustainable infrastructures.For the case of infrastructures, it is very important to demonstrate in the most efficient way the impacts that would result from its construction, and to show them to all the involved stakeholders.In this context, the marriage between the CBA and BIM (Building Information Modeling) becomes a powerful visualization tool for stakeholders providing them a transparent summary of the costs and benefits of the project, within the evaluation analysis of the decision-making process. CBA-BIM is the union between infrastructural and transport planning which place Stakeholder Engagement as a central planning activity aiming at reducing the subjectivity of the analyses.The motivations lying behind the integrated use of the CBA with BIM are the transparency, standardization, and automatization of the decision-making process. Indeed, from their union, there should be a decrease of the costs related to the protests of the stakeholders not involved bringing unnecessary delays in the construction works.This paper shows an application of this framework, with a BIM based design approach, to the case of the Napoli-Bari High-Speed Rail corridor, currently under construction. The BIM based procedure proposed can be easily adapted to different uses according to the objectives.This work provides a contribution to the current literature since it is one of the first which considers the integration between BIM and CBA in the infrastructural context.

Modeling the Mutual Enhancement of Regional Economy and Personal Quality of Life (QOL): A Case Study on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor in India

Among the various effects of high-speed rail (HSR), a direct benefit to users has been measured as an increase in the gross domestic product (GDP) by the conventional cost–benefit analysis (CBA), which was institutionalized in the U.K. In recent years, the importance of capturing indirect benefits to non-users has also been broadly discussed. The indirect benefits of HSR can mainly be classified into two perspectives: regional economy and personal quality of life (QOL). In this study, we modeled the mutual enhancement between those effects and analyzed the indirect benefits of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail (MAHSR), which is currently under construction as the first HSR in India, an emerging country with a rapidly growing economy. The indirect benefit to the regional economy along the MAHSR corridor was estimated by industry and by zone. Additionally, the indirect benefit on personal QOL by individuals’ attributes and by zone through the mutual enhancement with the regional economy was also estimated. The personal QOL tends to show greater effects in the middle cities than those in the two metropolitan areas of Mumbai and Ahmedabad. This method can evaluate interregional disparity by identifying the differences in benefits by person, according to age, income, etc., which cannot be evaluated based on a mass measure, e.g., GDP, in the conventional CBA.

Evaluating the Regional Economic Impacts of High-Speed Rail and Interregional Disparity: A Combined Model of I/O and Spatial Interaction

Among the benefits of high-speed rails (HSRs) discussed from various aspects, indirect benefits may contribute to medium- and long-term economic impacts such as an increase in service supply and gross regional product (GRP). In order to estimate the economic impacts, we modeled I/O–spatial interaction by combining the inter–industrial transactions shown on the I/O table with the geospatial distance decay of economic mass through passenger transportation. In addition, the regional economic impacts, as a part of the indirect benefits, were evaluated by the model applied to the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor in India, which is an emerging country with remarkable economic growth. The results showed the economic impacts on each zone and each industry along the MAHSR corridor as a relative distribution. The unique feature of this approach is that it is possible to evaluate the geographic distributions and interregional disparity of economic impacts by combining the industrial I/O relationships with the changes in passenger accessibility associated with a large-scale transportation project such as an HSR. Moreover, this method can be applied to various countries and regions where detailed I/O statistical data, such as interregional I/O tables, are difficult to obtain, as well as various transportation project evaluations taking into account interregional equity.

Socioeconomic and Spatial Impacts of High-Speed Rail on Enterprises: An Ex-Ante Case Study of Ahmedabad Station Area, India

Growth benefits of high speed rail (HSR) for enterprises are not automatic, but require a buoyant local economy and a robust strategy. Against the above background, the main objectives of ex-ante case study have been to investigate local socio-economic and spatial impacts of proposed HSR project around Ahmedabad station area on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR corridor, analyze the opportunities and challenges of HSR development and draw policy implications. Qualitative research methodology has been used to elicit the perceptions and perspectives of randomly selected 43 small, medium and large enterprises. Data has been analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study reveals that HSR induced greater human interaction will activate the local economy, improve business efficiency and generate employment. Frequent travels on business trips can influence enterprises' decision to settle near HSR stations for easy access and likely to promote realty development. The proposed HSR project should be developed in synergy with the urban dynamics of cities in transition and metropolitan service cities. Poor public transport connectivity is likely to be a major challenge in improving HSR accessibility and enhancing overall impacts of HSR, which can be improved by developing an integrated urban transport system, for which cooperation of all stakeholders and coherence with firms' strategies is essential.

An Optimization Method of High-Speed Railway Rescheduling to Meet Unexpected Large Passenger Flow

In the rapidly changing multimodal transportation market, not only the obligation in providing train services but also the responsibility in helping other transportation modes to meet emergencies are instrumental for maximizing the generalized benefit of railway companies, leading to an increased utilization. This paper proposes an optimization framework, which includes multiple dispatching measures of arranging residual seats, modifying stopping plans, and inserting additional trains, to design a rescheduling operation plan on a high-speed rail corridor to meet the passenger demand of unexpected large passenger flow (ULPF), which is generated from the disruption of other transportation modes. Considering the revenues of shifting passengers and the costs of the three dispatching measures as two objectives, we formulate a linear integer programming (LIP) model by employing a time-space network to obtain an optimization rescheduling operation plan. Several experiments based on the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway corridor are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed model. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model can be used to obtain a reasonable rescheduling operation plan for serving the passengers from ULPF within an acceptable calculation timeframe.

Transport infrastructure and economic performance: An evaluation of the Milan-Bologna high-speed rail corridor

This paper evaluates the impact of high-speed rail on the economic performance of the Milan-Bologna corridor in Northern Italy in terms of gross value added, distinguishing between services and manufacturing. The evidence-based impact assessment is carried out through propensity score matching difference-in-differences, event study, and synthetic control methods using NUTS 3 provincial panel data 2000–2018. The results suggest overall positive effects for the NUTS 3 provinces directly exposed to the programme. Still, sectoral heterogeneities arise depending on the specialization of the place hosting a high-speed railway stop. Moreover, different magnitudes occur depending on whether or not a high-speed station is located in a central place.

The territorial impact of high-speed rail on urban land development

High-speed rail (HSR) has been regarded as one of the key solutions to reduce regional disparities and promote cohesion. Meanwhile, uneven distribution of HSR service is thought to precipitate new disparities to the territory, e.g. places with HSR vs without HSR connection, central vs periphery areas along HSR corridors etc. Taking a combined social and spatial perspective, this paper attempts to discuss on the cohesion implications of HSR by analyzing land development impact at various territorial levels. We find: (1) at regional level, short distance HSR corridors are playing a pivotal role in metropolitan formation and regional cohesion; (2) at city level, there is a substantial possibility that HSR causes urban expansion and polycentricity; (3) at station-area level, HSR may threaten micro-level spatial cohesion. Eventually, directions for further research, and policy implications for (inter)national planners, local authorities, and private investors are proposed.

Vehicle Bridge Interaction in High-Speed Rail Corridors

Abstract: In this paper, our aim is to establish that Dynamic impact factor (DIF) is not only dependent on the span and type of the bridge but also dependent upon speed of the train and distance between axles of the train as well. Our current code i.e. Indian Railway Standards specify that DIF or Coefficient of Dynamic Augment (CDA) is dependent on span length and type of bridge but it is applicable for design speed up to 160 kmph. For any speed greater than that CDA shall need to be computed as per the dynamic analysis as per available international codes. As mentioned earlier that there is imminent need of high-speed rail network in India due to increase in economic activity, increase in travel choices, improvement in mobility, reduction in congestion and to boost productivity. Our objective of this project is to study dynamic response of a various types of bridges under high speed trains currently being used in India for high speed rail projects like RRTS (Delhi to Meerut and other corridors) and High speed rail project from Mumbai to Ahmedabad to accurately assess the DIF in bridges under the effect of different governing factors (vehicle speed, vehicle load, bridge superstructure type, etc). This study could be beneficial in upcoming projects of high-speed rail as it is our future need. This study is based on the current semi-high-speed rail network i.e. Delhi Meerut Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) being constructed and other corridors are to be implemented. Design speed of this project is 180 kmph hence existing IRS codal provision for DIF cannot be used, therefore, dynamic analysis is needed to establish the DIF. Dynamic analysis has been carried out with two types of boggie length i.e. 21.34m and 22.34m. In this project, we have started with the understanding of dynamic analysis by mentioning various codal provisions and parameters influencing the DIF. Subsequently, procedures for computation of dynamic analysis for given superstructure, loading, train type, span, etc have been explained including the modelling part. Last part of this study covers the dynamic analysis of various types of superstructure for given data

High-speed rail and industrial movement: Evidence from China's Greater Bay Area

In the context of location choice, firms face a trade-off between the increasing agglomeration benefits and the rising costs of doing business along the high-speed rail (HSR) corridors. This study examines the causal impact of the HSR extension on industrial movement patterns in China's Greater Bay Area (GBA). We analyze two firm-level datasets for the period 2007–2018 using the difference-in-differences method. We find that after the HSR extension, large-scale manufacturing firms exhibit a decentralization trend in the central GBA. We also find that the service sector shows a clustering pattern in the GBA. However, this pattern differs between the GBA and other regions, urban districts, and suburban counties, highlighting the redistribution effect of the HSR extension on industrial growth across regions. These findings have important implications for industrial policymaking, as they help decision-makers reflect on the potential industrial movement trend in relation to the impact of HSR expansion.

The Impacts of High-Speed Rail on Regional Accessibility and Spatial Development—Updated Evidence from China’s Mid-Yangtze River City-Cluster Region

There has been long and ongoing interest in the impacts of high-speed rail (HSR) on regional spatial development. Most existing studies, however, reported findings at relatively coarse geographic scales, i.e., at the prefecture-city or above level in the Chinese context. This paper presents the empirical evidence of HSR impacts from the county-level cities in China’s Mid-Yangtze River City-Cluster Region (MYRCCR). The study utilized rail time data and the socio-economic data for MYRCCR’s 185 county-level cities in the years of 2006 (without HSR) and 2014 (with HSR) and analyzed the impacts of HSR on inter-city travel times, accessibility, spatial inequality, and regional economic linkages among the MYRCCR cities. The results show that, from 2006 to 2014, HSR reduced city-to-city average travel time by 34.5% or 124 min and improved accessibility to all cities in the MYRCCR. HSR’s impacts on accessibility and spatial equality exhibited a scale-differentiated pattern. MYRCCR-wide, HSR transformed a pattern of spatial polarization towards the one of corridorization. Cities located on major HSR corridors became more balanced in 2014 than in 2006. Nevertheless, at the county-city level, the gap between cities with the most and the least accessibility gains was much greater than the gap between those with the largest and the smallest travel time savings. Attributable to HSR services, the intensity of economic linkage increased between MYRCCR cities, especially between the provincial capital cities and those on the major lines of the national HSR grid, which implies an emerging process towards territorial cohesion in MYRCCR. National, provincial, and local governments should consider transportation as well as non-transportation policies and measures to direct HSR impacts towards further enhanced spatial development and regional equality.

Improvements in high-speed rail network environmental evaluation and planning: An assessment of accessibility gains and landscape connectivity costs in Spain

High Speed Rail (HSR) in Spain began in 1992 and curently has a network of about 3400 km. In this 25-year period, accessibility has progressively increased, and its spatial distribution has changed throughout the territory. This has had important implications for territorial cohesion, which is a strategic planning objective of transport infrastructures in the European Union. However, this increase in HSR has environmental impacts; among other effects, new transport infrastructures imply a loss of landscape structural connectivity. This paper has two objectives: to study the distribution and development of the changes across the territory produced by the arrival of HSR in Spain between 1990 and 2025, by looking at changes in potential accessibility and structural habitat connectivity at the national scale; and to study – at the same scale – the relationship between both variables through the cost of accessibility improvements (socioeconomic variable) in terms of the loss of structural connectivity (environmental variable). All the analyses were done using GIS-based indicators, reported in the literature to be useful at the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) scale. The methodology is applied in different horizon years, namely 1990, 2007, 2016, and new proposed HSR lines to 2025 in Spain. The results show that throughout the whole period (1990−2025), accessibility improved by 74.7 % due to the extension of HSR. The most important period was 1990−2007, when the main socio-economic centres were connected by HSR, while connectivity, the environmental variable, declined by −3.4 %. The greatest connectivity loss was concentrated in 2007−2016, when the areas with the highest connectivity values in 1990 were the most affected. Our results show that a 1 % increase in accessibility implied a loss of connectivity of 0.03 % in the interval 1990−2007, while in the second period, the same 1 % increase entailed a 0.17 % loss; in the 2016−2025 scenario the value is intermediate (0.08). Our work contributes to adapting connectivity studies to the environmental assessment tiers in the transportation sector (i.e. plans, programmes and projects). Each stage has its limitations due to the lack of specific data or problems of spatial scale which must be publicly reported during environmental assessment processes. We also highlight the need for new research to establish a reliable spatial scale to assess the different effects of HSR corridors at the strategic level.

A priority-based ADMM approach for flexible train scheduling problems

In this study, we focus on how to optimize multi-type train scheduling problems in a practically available and computationally efficient manner. When solving the complicated train timetabling problem with overtaking operations for a congested high-speed rail corridor, a simplified approach is to predesignate a thin time interval from its origin station for each train. This setting is difficult and laborious in practice. What is more serious is that an imperfect setting may cause the expected solutions to be unreachable in many instances. To fundamentally get out of this thorny trouble, this study proposes a flexible scheduling framework that extends narrow time limitations to one-hour periods, which allows the trains to depart from any timestamp within the relaxed period. Further, a group of incompatibility constraints with a more compact form is formulated to mirror the coupling relation between train headway and regularity requirements. However, the relaxed time window increases the difficulty of obtaining the optimal or near-optimal solution under the standard Lagrangian-based decomposition framework. Therefore, an improved alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) approach is introduced for effectively eliminating the computational barriers that are due to its increased complexity. Specifically, a priority-based search sequence is employed by applying the associated dual costs during the solution of train-level path subproblems individually. Finally, a set of numerical experiments is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and availability of the proposed approach.

Empirical Analysis of Relieving High-Speed Rail Freight Congestion in China

This paper discusses how to promote high-speed rail (HSR) freight business by solving the congestion problem. First, we define the existing operation modes in China and propose the idea of relieving congestion by reserving more carriages of HSR passenger trains for freight between cities with large potential volume or small capacity. Second, we take one HSR corridor as a case to study, and use predictive regression and integrated time series methods to forecast the growth of HSR freight volume along the corridor. Finally, combined with forecast results and available capacity during the peak month of 2018, we offer suggestions on the mode adoption in each segment during the peak month from 2019 to 2022. Results demonstrate: (1) Among all 84 Origin-Destination (OD) city flows, the percentage of those monthly volumes over 1 ton increases from 17.9% in 2018 to 84.6% in 2022, and those over 30 tons rise from 3.6% to 26.2%. (2) Among the segments between seven main cities in the HSR corridor, T-J should be given priority to operate trains with reserved mode; the segment between X and J deserves to reserve most carriages during the peak month in the future. Specifically, our model suggests reserving 5.3–10.1 carriages/day for J-X, and 4.8–16.3 carriages/day for X-J during the peak month from 2019 to 2022.