Operative Traffic Management for Energy-Efficient Train Operation

Abstract

We present a system that performs a network-wide optimization of rail traffic with respect to energy consumption by informing trains of upcoming conflicts. Our system works in cooperation with a driver assistance system installed on board of trains but is not tied to a vendor-specific solution since it uses a vendor-independent protocol to communicate with the trains. In a simulated scenario, we were able to demonstrate a reduction in energy consumption by 45% as opposed to when our system was not in use.