Computer Support of Decision-Making for the Planning Movement of Freight Wagons on the Rail Network

Abstract

The article presents selected aspects of the problem of supporting the planning of freight wagons on the rail network. It has been pointed out that one of the problems in freight transport is the proper planning of operational activities of rail carriers. The problem is difficult because of its complexity. Planning the movement of freight wagons should take into account the need not only to transport loaded wagons, but also empty ones. The complexity of the problem stems from a number of factors, which should be considered during transport planning. These factors can be divided into technical, organizational or economic. The analysis allowed to develop a mathematical model for planning the movement of loaded and empty wagons, which includes: data schemes, decision variables, boundary conditions and constraints, criterion functions, as well as traffic disruptions in the rail network. Consequently, it was possible to develop a heuristic algorithm and a simulation tool, in the form of the ModPCar application. The subject matter is connected mainly with business needs of railway carriers. The effect, in the form of an IT tool, facilitating the process of decision support in the organization of rail transport, may be used, among others, by rail freight carriers. This paper describes the stages of the ant algorithm i.e. the stage of designating the probability of transition of ants to the other points of the route, update pheromone. In this paper the process of calibration of this algorithm was presented. The results of the ant algorithm were compared with the random results.