Adjusting freight train paths to infrastructure possessions

This paper tackles railway timetabling with infrastructure work possessions. It introduces the integrated Passenger and Freight Train Timetable Adjustment Problem (PF-TTAP) which handles both passenger as well as freight trains. To deal with possessions, passenger trains are typically retimed, reordered or partially cancelled, while for freight trains it is important to reach their destination, possibly using an alternative path. Alternative paths for freight trains are generated using the k-shortest path algorithm. To solve the PFTTAP, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) problem is developed to simultaneously retime, reroute and cancel trains in the network. The model aims at minimizing deviations from the original timetable and in particular selecting alternative freight paths with the least turning activities and noncommercial stops. The model was tested on the Dutch national railway network. The PF-TTAP model successfully created an alternative hour pattern satisfying all the railway stakeholders.