Optimal locomotive assignment for a railroad network
AssigneeGE Harris Railway Electronics, LLC
InventorJohn M. Belcea
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer-implemented method for optimizing locomotive assignments on a railroad network. The locomotives are assigned to power and signaling classes, based on equipment installed within each locomotive. An objective function is set forth that considers the cost of moving extra power in the network, the penalties incurred for late train departures due to the failure to assign an appropriately-equipped locomotive and the cost of train operation. Various constraints are set forth that must be taken into consideration when optimizing the objective function.
Claims48
A method for optimizing the assignment of locomotives in a railroad network by minimizing a cost of moving locomotives in the network over a predetermined time period, τ, wherein each locomotive is within a signaling class s from a set of signaling classes S, and wherein each locomotive is within a power class c from a set of power classes C, and wherein the distance Di,j between locations i and j on the network is known, and the cost of moving locomotives Γc as extra power as a function of power class is known, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining the number of locomotives of signaling class s and power class c that are planned to exit location i in the direction of location j as extra power during the predetermined time period τ;
- (b) determining the product of the result of step (a) for each power class, the distance between locations i and j, and the cost of moving locomotives as extra power as a function of each power class c;
- (c) summing the result of step (b) over all power classes;
- (d) summing the result of step (c) over all signaling classes,
- (e) summing the result of step (d) over all adjacent locations j;
- (f) summing the result of step (e) over all locations i;
- (g) summing the result of step (f) over the predetermined time period τ;
- and
- (h) minimizing the result of step (g).
A method for optimizing the assignment of locomotives in a railroad network by minimizing a penalty associated with late train departures, wherein the penalty incurred Pi,t(τ) if a train t at a location i does not have power over the predetermined time period τ is known, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining whether a train t is powered during the predetermined time interval τ;
- (b) assigning a first value to each train t if the train t does not have power and assigning a second value to each train t if the train t does have power;
- (c) multiplying the result of step (b) by the penalty incurred;
- (d) summing the result of step (c) over all trains t moving between locations i and j;
- (e) summing the result of step (d) over all locations i;
- (f) summing the result of step (e) over the predetermined time period τ;
- and
- (g) minimizing the result of step (f).
A method for optimizing the assignment of locomotives in a railroad network by minimizing a cost of operating trains using a power class c, wherein the cost of using a locomotive of power class c as active power is known and wherein the traveling distance of each train departing from location i is known, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining the number of locomotives of power class c and signaling class s assigned to a train t initiated at location i over the predetermined time τ;
- (b) calculating the product of the result of step (a), the cost of using a locomotive of power class c as active power in a train t and the distance train t will travel;
- (c) summing the result of step (b) over all power classes;
- (d) summing the result of step (c) over all signaling classes;
- (e) summing the result of step (d) over all trains traveling between locations i and j;
- (f) summing the result of step (e) over all locations i on the network;
- (g) summing the result of step (f) over the predetermined time τ;
- and
- (h) minimizing the result of step (g).
An apparatus for optimizing the assignment of locomotives in a railroad network by minimizing a penalty associated with late train departures, wherein the penalty incurred, Pi,t(τ), if a train t at a location i does not have power over the predetermined time period τ is known, said apparatus comprising:
- means for determining whether a train t is powered during the predetermined time interval τ;
- means for assigning a first value to each train t if the train t does not have power and for assigning a second value to each train t if the train t does have power;
- means for multiplying the output from said means for assigning by the penalty incurred;
- means for summing output from said means for multiplying over all trains t moving between locations i and j, over all locations i, and over the predetermined time period τ;
- and
- means for minimizing the output from said means for summing.
An apparatus for optimizing the assignment of locomotives in a railroad network by minimizing a cost of operating trains using a power class c, wherein the cost of using a locomotive of power class c as active power is known and wherein the traveling distance of each train departing from location i is known, said apparatus comprising:
- means for determining the number of locomotives of power class c and signaling class s assigned to a train t initiated at location i over the predetermined time τ;
- means for calculating the product of the number of locomotives, the cost of using a locomotive of power class c as active power in a train t and the distance train t will travel;
- means for summing the product over all power classes, over all signaling classes, over all trains traveling between locations i and j, over all locations i on the network, and over the predetermined time τ;
- and
- means for minimizing the sum.
A computer program for optimizing the assignment of locomotives in a railroad network by minimizing a cost of operating trains using a power class c, wherein the cost of using a locomotive of power class c as active power is known and wherein the traveling distance of each train departing from location i is known, said computer program comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining the number of locomotives of power class c and signaling class s assigned to a train t initiated at location i over the predetermined time τ;
- (b) calculating the product of the result of step (a), the cost of using a locomotive of power class c as active power in a train t and the distance train t will travel;
- (c) summing the result of step (b) over all power classes;
- (d) summing the result of step (c) over all signaling classes;
- (e) summing the result of step (d) over all trains traveling between locations i and j;
- (f) summing the result of step (e) over all locations i on the network;
- (g) summing the result of step (f) over the predetermined time τ;
- and
- (h) minimizing the result of step (g).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.