EconPapers    
Economics at your fingertips  
 

Static Blocking at Railyards: Sorting Implications and Track Requirements

Carlos F. Daganzo
Additional contact information
Carlos F. Daganzo: University of California, Berkeley, California

Transportation Science, 1986, vol. 20, issue 3, 189-199

Abstract: In this paper, various strategies for minimizing the amount of switching done at a classification yard are examined. We investigate how the allocation of blocks (the sorting classes recognized at the yard) to classification tracks affects switching work. Given are the sorting classes, as well as the schedule and block makeup of the departing trains. Only static strategies are considered---strategies where every block has been assigned permanently to a classification track. Simple formulas are given for the minimum number of tracks needed to implement a strategy, and for the amount of switching work given a number of tracks. The total track length is also examined. The results are significantly influenced by the number of blocks recognized by the yard; given this number, the results are nearly independent of the train departure schedule, the number of departing trains, and the number of blocks of individual trains. This feature simplifies the study of larger problems (e.g., dynamic blocking strategies) and, most importantly, makes train formation and scheduling an easier job at every yard.

Date: 1986
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/trsc.20.3.189 (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:ortrsc:v:20:y:1986:i:3:p:189-199

Access Statistics for this article

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

 
Page updated 2025-03-19
Handle: RePEc:inm:ortrsc:v:20:y:1986:i:3:p:189-199