Optimized Migration Process in Rail Traffic Using Simulation Support

Abstract

The implementation of new systems for operations control in rail traffic is characterized by an amount of heterogeneous criteria and boundary conditions (technical, operational, economical, political, etc.). Therefore it is necessary to treat all phases of the migration process systematically and to develop a consistent methodology for selection of the target system, generation and evaluation of migration strategies as well as validation of the theoretical approaches. In this contribution, we will present the framework of this methodology. In order to validate results. of theoretical methods, we use the RailSiTe® (Rail Simulation and Testing), the lab existing at the Institute of Transportation Systems of the German Aerospace Center in Braunschweig. Based on the morphological pattern, different system-configurations can be identified. In order to select the appropriate target system we use a value benefit analysis, by testing and validating technical and operational criteria in the lab. For the modelling of different system-configurations and transformation of these models into the RailSiTe®, the UML-based language RailML will be used. In the next steps, based on the activities identified by comparing the models of chosen target system with the current one, migration scenarios are to be generated. By repeated modelling with RailML, intermediate states of the system, which come up during the migration process, can be analyzed, described and simulated in the lab. Thus we can validate the scenarios referred on the operational and technical aspects as well as boundary conditions of safety requirements. To consider the economical aspects, methods of dynamic investment appraisal will be applied. This general methodology helps solving the multi-dimensional optimizing problem, which occurs in connection with migration projects in the complex system rail traffic.