Simulation modeling at Union Pacific Railroad

Despite the potential, the use of simulation technology at US railroads appears to be lagging behind that in manufacturing and other transportation industries. This paper describes three recent experiences of applying simulation at Union Pacific Railroad: validation of yard-queuing data used in a railroad operations planning and control system, evaluation of work-rest patterns for scheduling train crews, and evaluation of strategic transportation plan. Collectively they demonstrate the wide spectrum of possible applications in terms of domain, development effort, planning horizon, etc. We conclude with thoughts on how to promote the use of simulation in the railroad environment.