A Simulation Platform for Combined Rail/Road Transport in Multiyards Intermodal Terminals

Abstract

With the rapid development of multiyards railway intermodal terminal (MYRIT) construction in China, performance evaluation has become an important issue for terminal design and management departments. Due to the complexity of the multiyards terminal and the associated rail network, the train moving process and related terminal operations have become more complicated compared with the traditional intermodal container terminal. However, in general simulation platforms, the train moving process is simplified and train route scheduling rules are not considered in existing simulation models. In order to provide an accurate and comprehensive quantitative evaluation tool for MYRIT, a simulation platform based on the Timed Petri Net model has been developed, which can offer decision support for terminal design and management departments. In this platform, a yards and facilities layout module has been created to give simulation users access to designing the railway network on this platform. And a train route dispatching simulation method has been integrated to provide an accurate simulation of the train moving process. Based on a real case of Qianchang railway intermodal terminal that is located in Fujian Province, China, the platform is thoroughly validated against historical data. And the test scenarios show that train routes arrangement and handling equipment configuration both have a significant influence on overall terminal performance, which need to be carefully considered during terminal design and management.

Proposal of a module-driven architecture for building simulation models devoted to container terminals: dilemmas in applying generic, flexible, and modular principles

“…In brief, the medium level is the mastermind of the proposed solution fed with physical flows generated by the upper level and is aware of its context via the lower level. Similar multi-layer structures for logistics systems can be found in: Sun et al, 44 Chen et al, 35 and Bae et al 19…”

“…In brief, the medium level is the mastermind of the proposed solution fed with physical flows generated by the upper level and is aware of its context via the lower level. Similar multilayer structures for logistics systems can be found in: Sun et al, 44 Chen et al, 35 and Bae et al 19 TSP module creates and saves flow scenarios either in files or in databases regardless of the body in which it is involved. However, in case when old scenarios or other ones (e.g., created manually) are used, there is no need for the engine of TSP module, because it will be solicited only to inject transportation means inside the system through the dedicated connecting interface which will reduce a bit the execution time.…”

“…In this line, Lee et al 34 simulated various alternative configurations to a rail terminal, while García and García 20 built a simulation-based flexible platform to study strategic and tactical decisions related to rail–road terminal design. For the same issue but within multi-yards rail–road terminals, Chen et al 35 established a modular and flexible simulation framework to provide a quantitative evaluation for the specified terminal layout. This framework is arranged in four layers: the first and second layers contain the DES models and the core of the simulation, respectively, and the third one is where the layout is defined and the final one is the user interface where framework settings are set.…”

Dynamic Automated Search of Shunting Routes within Mesoscopic Rail-Traffic Simulators

“…On the contrary, different approaches can apply distinct levels of detail within different parts of a simulator-such simulations are referred to as multiscale simulations [23] or hybrid simulations [24,25]. e existence of software platforms for combined traffic simulations, capable of examining interactions of different traffic modes (e.g., [26]), is also worth mentioning.…”

Methodology for Determining the Location of Intermodal Transport Terminals for the Development of Sustainable Transport Systems: A Case Study from Slovakia

“…The most apposite indicator could be one that describes the extent to which a given vertex (town, city) is involved in total production and regional production (industry, agriculture, and transport). This is reflected in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) [40] of that vertex. Gross domestic product represents a relevant economic potential of the area analysed, having a significant influence on the location and effective operation of terminals.…”