Method and apparatus for planning the movement of trains using dynamic analysis

A method of planning the movement of trains over a rail network, comprising:

• (a) receiving a schedule for the planned movement of a train along a route;
• (b) maintaining a database of train characteristics;
• (c) planning the movement of the train as a function of the train characteristics;
• (d) updating the database with information received from a railroad management information system;
• (e) monitoring the database to detect a change to any train characteristic;
• (f) predicting a train characteristic of the train at plural locations along the route as a function of the detected change;
• and
• (g) planning the movement of the train as a function of the predicted train characteristic at ones of the plural locations along the route.

A computer readable storage medium storing a program for controlling the movement of plural trains over a rail network, the computer program comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in said medium for planning the movement of trains;
• a computer readable first program code module for receiving a schedule for the planned movement of a train along a route;
• a computer readable second program code module for monitoring and accessing a database including current train characteristics selected from the group of train length, hazmat content, high/wide restrictions, horsepower, speed, stopping distance, acceleration, and combinations thereof;
• a computer readable third program code module for detecting a change to any train characteristic in the database;
• a computer readable fourth program code module for predicting a train characteristic of the train at plural locations along the route as a function of the detection of the change;
• and
• a computer readable fifth program code module for planning the movement of the train as a function of the predicted train characteristic at ones of the plural locations along the route.