Train scheduling and rescheduling model based on customer satisfaction. Application to Genoa railway network

This paper presents a train scheduling and a rescheduling models based on the generation of an alternative graph of the railway network. In the first model, the train scheduling problem has been solved to define the optimal timetable for a set of trains with the objective to minimize the travel times of passengers to reach their destination, outlining the related sequence of nodes and arcs of the graph to be covered by each group of passengers. Subsequently, a train rescheduling model is applied on an optimal timetable became infeasible due to unpredicted failures or disturbances introduced on the network. In this second approach, the objective is restore the railway service quality by reducing the delays for trains and passengers.The main contribution of this paper is to implement railway scheduling and rescheduling problem by linear programming formulations introducing in the second approach the innovative concept to prioritize the train that can access on the block section in case of conflicts on the network. The performances of the solution methods have been tested on real train timetable data related to a portion of railway in Liguria Region, in Italy.