Railway Network Research Articles

Assessment of options for the location of railway infrastructure facilities

This article discusses a methodology for assessing optimal cargo facility placement, focusing specifically on evaluating regional attractiveness in Uzbekistan through an integrated attractiveness index. By adapting existing methods to fit Uzbekistan's unique context, the proposed approach becomes more universally applicable to other regions as well. The study introduces a new model that accounts for uncertainty and incorporates multicriteria decision-making, enabling stakeholders to select the most suitable alternatives. A hierarchical goal tree, which clearly identifies weighted factors and equivalent criteria, ensures transparency and validity throughout the decision-making process. This method provides numerous benefits for various stakeholders, including administrators and investors, by clearly outlining potential gains and losses associated with placing logistics centers. The article demonstrates practical application by analyzing placement decisions for logistics facilities within Uzbekistan's railway network, applying a comprehensive, multicriteria evaluation approach. The hierarchical model simplifies the selection process by simultaneously considering multiple parameters and selection criteria, ensuring a thorough assessment. Strategic placement of logistics facilities improves regional competitiveness, stimulates economic growth, and creates new employment opportunities. The methodology presented in this study offers valuable insights for future research and practical implementation, demonstrating its relevance in a modern economy and rapidly evolving logistics sector. Ultimately, the proposed model holds significant potential to enhance logistics infrastructure and support Uzbekistan’s broader economic development goals.

Analysis of China’s High-Speed Railway Network Using Complex Network Theory and Graph Convolutional Networks

This study investigated the characteristics and functionalities of China’s High-Speed Railway (HSR) network based on Complex Network Theory (CNT) and Graph Convolutional Networks (GCN). First, complex network analysis was applied to provide insights into the network’s fundamental characteristics, such as small-world properties, efficiency, and robustness. Then, this research developed three novel GCN models to identify key nodes, detect community structures, and predict new links. Findings from the complex network analysis revealed that China’s HSR network exhibits a typical small-world property, with a degree distribution that follows a log-normal pattern rather than a power law. The global efficiency indicator suggested that stations are typically connected through direct routes, while the local efficiency indicator showed that the network performs effectively within local areas. The robustness study indicated that the network can quickly lose connectivity if key nodes fail, though it showed an ability initially to self-regulate and has partially restored its structure after disruption. The GCN model for key node identification revealed that the key nodes in the network were predominantly located in economically significant and densely populated cities, positively contributing to the network’s overall efficiency and robustness. The community structures identified by the integrated GCN model highlight the economic and social connections between official urban clusters and the communities. Results from the link prediction model suggest the necessity of improving the long-distance connectivity across regions. Future work will explore the network’s socio-economic dynamics and refine and generalise the GCN models.

Effective dimensional reduction of complex systems based on tensor networks

Abstract The exact treatment of Markovian models of complex systems requires knowledge of probability distributions exponentially large in the number of components n. Mean-field approximations provide an effective reduction in complexity of the models, requiring only a number of phase space variables polynomial in system size. However, this comes at the cost of losing accuracy close to critical points in the systems dynamics and an inability to capture correlations in the system. In this work, we introduce a tunable approximation scheme for Markovian spreading models on networks based on matrix product states (MPSs). By controlling the bond dimensions of the MPS, we can investigate the effective dimensionality needed to accurately represent the exact 2 n dimensional steady-state distribution. We introduce the entanglement entropy as a measure of the compressibility of the system and find that it peaks just after the phase transition on the disordered side, in line with the intuition that more complex states are at the ‘edge of chaos’. We compare the accuracy of the MPS with exact methods on different types of small random networks and with Markov chain Monte Carlo methods for a simplified version of the railway network of the Netherlands with 55 nodes. The MPS provides a systematic way to tune the accuracy of the approximation by reducing the dimensionality of the systems state vector, leading to an improvement over second-order mean-field approximations for sufficiently large bond dimensions.

On the press review «Extent and duration of construction of indispensable railways» (publication of 1912 in the Rail Business [Zheleznodorozhnoe Delo] Journal)

Press archivesIn 1912, the Rail Business journal published a material that was, in fact, a statement of the approaches that had developed at that time to the expediency and pace of further development of the railway network, including the uniformity of this pace, as well as, in modern terms, to the transport connectivity of the country’s territory, the socio-economic effects of its growth, and sources of investment. Three points of view were presented: that of the chairman of the High Commission for the Study of the Railway Business; that of his opponent under the initials A. F. whose name remained unknown, but, who, apparently, had the authoritative opinion; and that of the editorial board of the journal itself.Despite the radically changed economic conditions and technological structure, which have led to the loss of relevance of some of the issues discussed, some other fundamental points raised in the discussion in absentia on the pages of the journal being adapted to modern realities may be of some interest, including, possibly, in the aspect of the implementation of modern large infrastructure projects.The reprinted, slightly abridged text preserves as much as possible authentic punctuation, vocabulary and abbreviations commonly applied at the time of initial publication.

Network Topology-Driven Vertiport Placement Strategy: Integrating Urban Air Mobility with the Seoul Metropolitan Railway System

We propose a vertiport location-allocation methodology for urban air mobility (UAM) from the perspective of transportation network topology. The location allocation of vertiports within a transportation network is a crucial factor in determining the unique characteristics of UAM compared to existing transportation modes. However, as UAM is still in the pre-commercialization phase, with significant uncertainties, there are limitations in applying location-allocation models that optimize objective functions such as maximizing service coverage or minimizing travel distance. Instead, vertiport location allocation should be approached from a strategic perspective, taking into account public capital investments aimed at improving the transportation network by leveraging UAM’s distinct characteristics compared to existing urban transportation modes. Therefore, we present a methodology for evaluating the impact of vertiport location-allocation strategies on changes in transportation network topology. To analyze network topology, we use the Seoul Metropolitan railway network as the base network and construct scenarios where vertiports are allocated based on highly connected nodes and those prioritizing structurally vulnerable nodes. We then compare and analyze global network efficiency, algebraic connectivity, average shortest path length, local clustering coefficient, transitivity, degree assortativity and modularity. We confirm that while allocating vertiports based on network centrality improves connectivity compared to vulnerability-based allocation, the latter approach is superior in terms of network efficiency. Additionally, as the proportion of vertiports increases, the small-world property of the network rapidly increases, indicating that the vertiport network can fundamentally alter the structure of multimodal transportation systems. Regardless of whether centrality or vulnerability is prioritized, we observe that connectivity increase exponentially, while network efficiency changes linearly with the increase in vertiport proportion. Our findings highlight the necessity of a network-based approach to vertiport location allocation in the early stages of UAM commercialization, and we expect our results to inform future research directions on vertiport allocation in multimodal transportation networks.

Assessing the potential of half-height platform screen doors to prevent personal injury accidents: Evidence from the Tokyo metropolitan area railway network

Assessing the potential of half-height platform screen doors to prevent personal injury accidents: Evidence from the Tokyo metropolitan area railway network

Understanding the crucial role of deployment and military mobility within the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization: A conceptual analysis

Boosting military mobility has become a priority for security-generating organisations in the current and foreseeable security environment. The European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are united in their significant efforts to simplify the armed forces’ deployment process. They are developing projects to improve critical infrastructure resilience or dual-use goods and actively collaborating on EU military mobility projects. This joint effort is backed by substantial finance and human resources aims to eradicate bureaucracy, streamline cross-border procedures, and enhance the capacity of alternative road and railway communication networks. The goal is to ensure coherent and prompt personnel, hardware, and military equipment deployment. This article analyses the deployment and military mobility concepts through the lens of descriptive research based on secondary data investigation, following their chronological growth and relevance within the EU and NATO. It also explores how the patenting of the innovative approach can be part of the solution to the military problem imposed by the Russian Federation on the European continent. The examination underscores the significance of developing and implementing these concepts for present and future military operations and their relevance in guaranteeing a climate of security in the Euro-Atlantic region. Given the military nature of the concepts, the analysis could present some limitations due to the limited access to classified information or the prohibition of its dissemination in the public space.

Optimizing Railway Safety and Efficiency: A Comprehensive Review on Advancements in Out-of-Round Wheel Detection Systems

Railway safety and operational efficiency represent fundamental cornerstones of contemporary transportation, demanding ongoing innovations in monitoring systems. This review meticulously explores the latest advancements in out-of-round wheel detection technologies, which are crucial in averting derailments and curtailing maintenance expenditures. The study synthesizes progress in sensor technologies, such as highresolution imaging, ultrasonic sensors, and acoustic emission detectors, facilitating the early detection of wheel irregularities. By merging these sensors with advanced signal processing algorithms and cutting-edge machine learning techniques, current systems can accomplish real-time surveillance and predictive maintenance, thus diminishing the chances of catastrophic failures. The review evaluates diverse methodologies adopted for detecting out-of-round wheels, juxtaposing traditional manual inspection techniques with automated systems. It underscores the advantages of rapid data acquisition and the utilization of sophisticated analytics in improving detection accuracy across various environmental conditions. Furthermore, the discussion encompasses the challenges associated with sensor calibration, data noise, and the scalability of these systems within high-speed railway networks. Through a thorough assessment of experimental studies and real-world implementations, the review pinpoints key performance indicators and delineates the prospects of integrating these systems into existing railway safety protocols. It also emphasizes the necessity for standardized benchmarks to comprehensively evaluate system reliability and overall performance. Looking towards the future, the paper suggests avenues for further research, such as the creation of multi-sensor fusion frameworks and adaptive algorithms to enhance diagnostic precision. Ultimately, these advancements hold the potential to significantly bolster railway safety and operational efficiency, thereby contributing to the modernization of global rail infrastructure.

The Impact Process and Mechanism of Typhoon‐Induced Heavy Precipitation on China's Railway Network: A Case Study of Typhoon in‐Fa

ABSTRACTTyphoon‐induced heavy precipitation has a critical impact on railway networks. However, existing studies have not adequately considered the role of geographic factors in the propagation of disasters within networks, and the typhoon process further complicates the situation. This study analyzed traceable data on train disruptions caused by Typhoon In‐Fa across multiple periods, reconstructed the temporal evolution of the disaster, and quantitatively assessed the impact of its heavy precipitation on China's railway network. The results show that damage and recovery of critical stations and lines significantly affect the expansion and contraction dynamics of the disrupted transportation network. The disruption propagates through the railway network, impacted interconnected nodes, lines, and adjacent areas beyond the disaster zone. The affected epicenter shifts with the typhoon's movement, but the dissipation of the disaster demonstrates a spatial persistence effect. Furthermore, we extracted the spatial organization mode of disrupted railway networks. This paper provides a systematic foundation to enhance disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities for Chinese railways.

Heads of the Operational Department of the Armavir-Tuapse Railway (a personal factor in the History)

Relevance. The issues considered in the article are a poorly studied aspect of the operational period of the history of the Armavir-Tuapse Railway Joint-Stock Company. Researchers and local historians studying the development of railway communication in the North Caucasus at the beginning of the 20th century did not focus on the people who managed one of the most important regional highways that connected the Black Sea coast with the all-Russian railway network. This, in turn, does not allow us to comprehensively evaluate and analyze the events of the past and clearly demonstrates the relevance of this research.The goal of the research is to reconstruct the events associated with changes in the management of the operational department of the Armavir-Tuapse Railway from 1914 to 1920, and to restore the professional biographies of the engineers who headed it. This chronological framework is determined by the establishment of the position of the road manager in 1914 and the nationalization of the transport enterprise in 1920, which entailed its liquidation as a legal entity due to the transformation of the general state structure of Russia.The principles of historicism and objectivity have become the methodological basis of the research. The approaches of systematization and generalization, as well as problem-chronological and retrospective methods have been used. Unpublished documents stored in the federal, regional and municipal archives of the Russian Federation have been chosed as a source base for the research.The result of the research. Apart from introducing professional biographies of railway engineers and the chronology of changes in the management of the operational management of the Armavir-Tuapse railway, the role and characteristics of the personal contribution to the organization of railway freight and passenger transportation on this highway have been analyzed.

Early 20th Century Projects for Construction of Transportation Corridors to Rich Mineral Resources of Yakutia

This article presents an analysis of early 20th-century projects aimed at constructing a railway and establishing transportation routes connecting Yakutia to the Siberian railway network. The historical sources for this research include documents from the Russian State Archive of Economics and articles published in periodicals in 1912 and 1925. The study reveals that the first railway project predominantly planned to traverse Yakutia was proposed by French national Loïc de Lobel, who envisioned the Trans-Alaska-Siberia route between 1902 and 1907. It is emphasized that, following a series of government discussions, de Lobel’s proposal was ultimately rejected due to concerns about the undesirable exploitation of the region’s natural and mineral resources by foreign capital. The findings indicate that de Lobel’s project served as a catalyst for initiating the development of transportation projects intended to connect Yakutia with the Siberian railway. Overall, the public announcement and discussion of transportation construction projects in the early 20th century played a positive role in the economic development of Russia’s peripheral regions.

Analysis of Population Agglomeration Trends and Railway Network Integration in Global and Japanese Metropolitan Areas

Analysis of Population Agglomeration Trends and Railway Network Integration in Global and Japanese Metropolitan Areas

Three-stage service network design in rail-road networks with demand and capacity uncertainty

Three-stage service network design in rail-road networks with demand and capacity uncertainty

„Şi dacă ne ocoleşte drumul de fier?” Competiţie regională, interese economice şi blocaje militare în configurarea reţelei de căi ferate din Moldova (1859-1914)

The study concerns the construction of the railway network in 19th- century Romania, in which the region of Moldavia became a relative loser compared to Muntenia (Eastern part of Wallachia). The Ofenheim concession was designed to serve Austria's interests in obtaining the shortest possible route to the Black Sea or the Danube Mouths, but it bypassed major Moldavian cities (Iaşi, Botoşani), which would have been the profitable option for the regional economy. By contrast, in Muntenia, the Strousberg network connected the main cities (Craiova, Bucharest, Ploieşti) with the port of Brăila. As a result of the government's weak negotiating position in the Ofenheim concession, Moldova was affected by path dependence, taking nearly four decades to secure a new north-south crossing, parallel to the Siret River (Iaşi-Vaslui-Bârlad-Galaţi), which allowed the transportation of grain from the north to the ports. Additionally, Moldova was disadvantaged by budget allocations for secondary narrow-gauge lines, initiated in 1882 and 1885, which progressed much more slowly than the investments in Muntenia. Lastly, the military strategic reasons, centralized and aiming to limit the theoretical entry routes of the Russian army towards the capital, played a major role in blocking the transport network in Moldova (Bârlad-Galaţi line). Military thinking marginalized Moldova, disregarding its potential and diminishing interest in investing in the regional transport network.

Benchmarking Analysis of Railway Infrastructure Managers: A Hybrid Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Grey Best–Worst Method (G-BWM), and Assurance Region Data Envelopment Analysis (AR-DEA) Model

Benchmarking railway infrastructure managers (RIMs) has become a crucial tool in the context of European transport market liberalization, facilitating efficiency improvements and strategic decision-making. RIMs face challenges in increasing capacity, optimizing operations, and ensuring competitive, safe, and economically sustainable services. To address these challenges, this study proposes a hybrid benchmarking model that integrates Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and reduce data dimensionality, the Grey Best–Worst Method (G-BWM) to determine KPI weight coefficients based on expert evaluations, and Assurance Region Data Envelopment Analysis (AR-DEA) to assess the relative efficiency of RIMs while incorporating real-world constraints. The research findings confirm that RIM8 is the most efficient unit, driven by high electrification levels, strong accident prevention measures, and optimal use of infrastructure. In contrast, RIM2 and RIM4 record the lowest efficiency scores, primarily due to poor safety performance, high infrastructure-related delays, and suboptimal resource utilization. By introducing weight constraints through AR-DEA, the model ensures that efficiency assessments reflect actual operational conditions, rather than relying on unrestricted weight allocations. The main contribution of this study lies in developing a systematic and objective framework for evaluating RIM efficiency, ensuring consistency and reliability in performance measurement. The practical implications extend to policy development and operational decision-making, providing insights for infrastructure managers, regulatory bodies, and policymakers to optimize resource allocation, enhance infrastructure resilience, and improve railway sector sustainability. The results highlight key efficiency factors and offer guidance for targeted improvements, reinforcing benchmarking as a valuable tool for long-term railway infrastructure management and investment planning. By offering a quantitatively grounded efficiency assessment, this model contributes to the competitiveness and sustainability of railway networks across Europe.

Route Optimization of Hazardous Material Railway Transportation Based on Conditional Value-at-Risk Considering Risk Equity

Rail transportation of hazardous material (Hazmat) involves low-probability, and high-consequence risks, requiring strategies that mitigate extreme accident impacts while ensuring fair risk distribution. To address this, we introduce conditional value-at-risk with equity (CVaRE) into railway Hazmats risk assessment, enabling flexible decision-making that balances risk minimization and equity considerations. Unlike conventional models that focus solely on risk reduction, CVaRE incorporates a risk equity goal, ensuring a more balanced distribution of risk across transportation routes. This study develops a novel CVaRE model that replaces fixed threshold constraints with a dynamic risk equity goal, providing greater flexibility in risk distribution adjustments. A k-shortest path-based algorithm was designed to balance extreme risk minimization with equitable risk allocation in route selection. A case study on the Yangtze River Delta railway network validates the model, demonstrating that moderate cost increases can significantly reduce extreme accident risks while achieving fairer risk distribution. Findings also show that direct transportation improves risk equity over transfer-based routes, highlighting the importance of strategic route planning. This research offers practical decision support for transport companies and regulators, helping optimize routes while ensuring cost efficiency and regulatory compliance. It also provides a scientific foundation for risk-equity-based policies, promoting safer, more sustainable Hazmat railway transportation.

Legitimising programmes of government by means of accounting. Promoting a railway system in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany: the Leghorn-Florence Railway (1838–1841)

ABSTRACT Combining private initiatives with public interest was a defining feature of nineteenth-century European economic policy, particularly in the development of railway systems. In the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Robert Stephenson – renowned as the ‘king of the railways’ – played a pivotal role in advancing a railway network linking Leghorn, Pisa, and Florence. His report, emphasising financial feasibility, strongly influenced the government’s decision to prioritise private capital and management for this transformative project. Governmentality and research into legitimisation strategies further our understanding of the interaction of political discourse, banks and investors interests, local communities’ aspirations, cultural élites and bourgeoisie consent for the project of such a railway system across Tuscany. Based on governmentality and legitimisation theory, this study demonstrates how accounting practices, represented by Stephenson’s report, legitimised and drove the railway initiative in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, aligning political objectives, investor confidence, and community aspirations. By revealing the strategic use of financial data to shape consensus, the research provides new insights into the political impact of accounting and its critical role in fostering infrastructure development in Tuscany.

InSAR-RiskLSTM: Enhancing Railway Deformation Risk Prediction with Image-Based Spatial Attention and Temporal LSTM Models

Railway infrastructure faces significant operational threats due to ground deformation risks from natural and anthropogenic sources, posing serious challenges to safety and maintenance. Traditional monitoring methods often fail to capture the complex spatiotemporal patterns of railway deformation, leading to delayed responses and increased risks of infrastructure failure. To address these limitations, this study introduces InSAR-RiskLSTM, a novel framework that leverages the high-resolution and wide-coverage capabilities of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to enhance railway deformation risk prediction. The primary objective of this study is to develop an advanced predictive model that accurately captures both temporal dependencies and spatial susceptibilities in railway deformation processes. The proposed InSAR-RiskLSTM framework integrates Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks with spatial attention mechanisms to dynamically prioritize high-risk regions and improve predictive accuracy. By combining image-based spatial attention for deformation hotspot identification with advanced temporal modeling, the approach ensures more reliable and proactive risk assessment. Extensive experiments on real-world railway datasets demonstrate that InSAR-RiskLSTM achieves superior predictive performance compared to baseline models, underscoring its robustness and practical applicability. The results highlight its potential to contribute to proactive railway maintenance and risk mitigation strategies by providing early warnings for infrastructure vulnerabilities. This work advances the integration of image-based methods within cyber–physical systems, offering practical tools for safeguarding critical railway networks.

A GIS Based Study for Air Quality Monitoring of Bikaner City, Rajasthan

The undesirable change in any gaseous substance present in ambient air in such concentration that may tends to be injurious to human beings and other living creature, plant, property. These substances which are responsible for such undesirable changes called air pollutants. A developmental activity like urbanization leads to potent impact on our surrounding environment, many cities around the world become more congested, concerns increase over the level of urban air pollution being generated and in particular its impact on localized human health. An attempt has been made in this study on yearly basis, pertaining to air quality standards of Bikaner city as one prominent city in the state of Rajasthan. Bikaner is the city which lies in desertic region of western Rajasthan is prominently as one of the air pollutant area affected generally by fine dust particles due to composition of soil as gypsum ingredient, despite that agricultural practices are also on large scale other factors like mining in adjoining areas, natural dust storm, three highways passes through and railway network is stretching within city is matter of concern. The study reveals that many times city has become declared as worst polluted city in India especially in context to suspended particulate matters. Some strategic location has been choosen for study which extrapolate the cause condition relationship between air pollution and their both fugitive and nonfugitive sources. The help has been taken from regional office of pollution control board as well as free samplings undertaken by researcher by using high volume sampler. The purpose of study is reveal the data in consonance of previous study that how these pollution datas are keep going in simulation for further mitigative measures and studies.

Evaluasi Optimalisasi Cash Flow Pada Proyek Multiyears Dengan Penyesuaian Perubahan Waktu Pelaksanaan (Studi Kasus Proyek Pembangunan Jalur Kereta Api Lintas Makassar-Pare pare)

The construction of the Trans-Sulawesi railway line is a railway network built to reach important areas on the island of Sulawesi. In general, the implementation of construction projects is limited by a certain time with limited resources to complete a given job, but due to the unavailability of land when the Work Start Order is issued, it causes a time addendum twice without any cost escalation. The purpose of this research is to get the optimal cash flow that can be obtained by contractors based on changes in implementation time and get the right strategy that can be applied in the future so that no more Addendum changes in implementation time can harm the implementing contractor. Data collection includes primary data by interviewing 25 respondents representing 155 populations consisting of 15 work units, 10 supervisory consultants, 25 implementing contractors and 105 land owners. Secondary data collection was carried out by requesting the necessary data from the implementing contractor. Cash Flow optimization evaluation is carried out by calculating 2 cash flow simulations, namely: Simulation 1 (823 days based on addendum 1), simulation 2 (1063 days / based on addendum 2). Determination of the right strategy to avoid addendum changes in implementation time is done using SWOT Analysis. Calculation of both simulations obtained results: In Simulation 1 (823 days) the acceleration of the implementer