The Netherlands Schedules Track Maintenance to Improve Track Workers’ Safety

J. I. van Zante--de Fokkert (), D. den Hertog (), F. J. van den Berg () and J. H. M. Verhoeven ()
Additional contact information
J. I. van Zante--de Fokkert: Centre for Quantitative Methods, PO Box 414, 5600 AK Eindhoven, The Netherlands
D. den Hertog: Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands
F. J. van den Berg: ProRail bedrijfsplanning, PO Box 2038, 3500 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands
J. H. M. Verhoeven: ProRail bedrijfsplanning, PO Box 2038, 3500 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands

Interfaces, 2007, vol. 37, issue 2, 133-142

Abstract: After several fatal accidents, improving the safety of rail-track workers became a political priority in The Netherlands. Maintaining the track was one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. ProRail divides its infrastructure into working zones to be taken out of service during maintenance. We developed a two-step method of constructing a four-week maintenance schedule in which each working zone of the main lines is closed to trains at night exactly once. The alterations in trains’ departure and arrival times are within the restrictions imposed by train operators. Workers have accepted the resulting schedule, which provides them with a manageable maximum workload per night. Such a schedule is unique in Europe. It has been in operation since 2000 and has clearly proven its benefits.

Keywords: facilities--equipment planning; maintenance; replacement; government; services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/inte.1060.0246 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:orinte:v:37:y:2007:i:2:p:133-142

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Interfaces from INFORMS Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Asher ().