System and method for terminal capacity management

A system for determining hourly terminal capacity, the system comprising:

• at least one database for storing a dataset comprising a plurality of train traffic records associated with a rail terminal;
• and
• a processing engine;
• wherein said processing engine executes instructions to perform the steps of:
• accessing, by at least one computer processor, said train traffic record dataset associated with a rail terminal;
• indexing, by the at least one computer processor, said plurality of train traffic records into periodic intervals;
• assigning, by the at least one computer processor, unique index values to each periodic interval;
• assigning, by the at least one computer processor, dwell occupancy definitions to each of said train traffic records;
• creating, by the at least one computer processor, occupancy indexes for each of said train traffic records based on said occupancy definitions;
• assigning, by the at least one computer processor, dwell occupancy values to each occupancy index based on said dwell occupancy definitions and said dataset;
• and
• determining, by the at least one computer processor, the capacity demand of said rail terminal based on said dwell occupancy values.

A computer-implemented method of estimating a number classification tracks required within a rail terminal having a plurality of tracks, the method comprising:

• creating, by at least one computer processor, a list of railcar blocks;
• establishing, by the at least one computer processor, a list of railcar block sizes based on said list of railcar blocks;
• establishing, by the at least one computer processor, a list of railcar block classifications based on said list of railcar blocks;
• establishing, by the at least one computer processor, a list of track classifications based on said list of railcar blocks and said plurality of tracks;
• specifying, by the at least one computer processor, switch parameters;
• evaluating, by the at least one computer processor, said list of railcar blocks based on said list of railcar block sizes and said list of railcar block classifications;
• calculating, by the at least one computer processor, initial track estimates;
• assigning, by the at least one computer processor, said list of railcar blocks to said plurality of tracks based on said list of railcar block classifications, said list of track classifications, and said switch parameters;
• and
• generating, by the at least one computer processor, a list of tracks based on said step of assigning.

A system for assigning railcar blocks to a plurality of rail terminal tracks, the system comprising:

• a dataset engine that provides a list of railcar blocks;
• a classification engine that classifies said railcar blocks according and said plurality of rail terminal tracks;
• a switching parameter engine, said switching parameter engine specifying switching parameters and generating a list of classified blocks according to said switching parameters;
• and
• an assignment engine that assigns each block on said list of classified blocks to a classified track.