Coordinative multi-stage approach to railway energy system resilience enhancement: From risk-aware FTPSS planning to emergency energy management and adaptive train control

Ruizhang Yang, Zhuang Xiao, Wei Xiong and Yunhe Hou

Applied Energy, 2026, vol. 402, issue PB, No S030626192501640X

Abstract: The progressive electrification of railway systems has deepened their dependence on utility grids, increasing their vulnerability to utility grid outages during extreme events. Such outages can interrupt the railway power supply, leading to transportation service suspensions and ultimately causing significant economic losses. To enhance the resilience of the railway system in terms of energy supply and transportation capacity, this paper proposes a hierarchical, multi-stage, coordinative railway resilience enhancement framework. The approach holistically coordinates risk-aware long-term planning with tightly coupled real-time operational strategies, including rolling emergency energy management and adaptive train control. In the planning stage, a two-stage stochastic optimization model with risk metrics is developed to configure a microgrid-architected Flexible Traction Power Supply System (FTPSS). This proactively curtails grid dependency and mitigates the tail-risk of power shortages during extreme events. This risk-aware configuration then informs the operational stage, where a rolling emergency energy management strategy is tightly coupled with an adaptive train control algorithm to synergistically dispatch distributed energy resources and optimize train trajectories based on real-time power availability, which effectively reduces traction power degradation and service delays. Furthermore, the framework incorporates a dedicated black start and system restoration strategy to recover functionality following a complete grid outage. Finally, real-world data validation demonstrates that the proposed method significantly reduces traction load shedding and train delays under extreme conditions compared to benchmark strategies. Case studies also validate the framework’s black start capability, confirming its ability to restore the system from a total blackout. The results confirm the potential of the proposed method to ensure both energy supply security and transportation service continuity for modern railway systems.

Keywords: Flexible traction power supply system; Resilience enhancement; Railway energy systems; Distributed energy resources; Self-consistent energy system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126910

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