Optimal sorting of rolling stock at hump yards

Abstract

In this paper we provide a quite general description of a class of problems called Sorting of Rolling Stock Problem(s). An SRSP consists in finding an optimal schedule for rearranging units of rolling stock (railcars, trams, trains,.) at shunting yards, covering a broad range of specially structured applications. Here, we focus on versions of SRSP at particular shunting yards featuring a hump. We analyze the use of such a hump yard in our research project Zeitkritische Ablaufbergoptimierung in Rangierbahnhöfen 1 in cooperation with BASF, The Chemical Company, in Ludwigshafen. Among other results we present a remarkably efficient algorithm with linear running time for solving the practical SRSP at the BASF hump yard. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.