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Complexity, bounds and dynamic programming algorithms for single track train scheduling

  • S.I.: OR in Transportation
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Abstract

In this work we consider the single track train scheduling problem. The problem consists of scheduling a set of trains from opposite sides along a single track. The track has intermediate stations and the trains are only allowed to pass each other at those stations. Traversal times of the trains on the blocks between the stations only depend on the block lengths but not on the train. This problem is a special case of minimizing the makespan in job shop scheduling with two counter routes and no preemption. We develop a lower bound on the makespan of the train scheduling problem which provides us with an easy solution method in some special cases. Additionally, we prove that for a fixed number of blocks the problem can be solved in pseudo-polynomial time.

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Acknowledgements

The authors were partially funded by the DFG under Grant Number SCHO1140/3-2 and by the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IRSES) under Grant Number 246647 with the New Zealand Government (project OptALI). We also thank the Simulationswissenschaftliches Zentrum Clausthal-Göttingen (SWZ) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

    Jonas Harbering

  2. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India

    Abhiram Ranade

  3. Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Marie Schmidt

  4. University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Oliver Sinnen

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  1. Jonas Harbering
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  2. Abhiram Ranade
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  3. Marie Schmidt
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  4. Oliver Sinnen
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Correspondence to Jonas Harbering.

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Harbering, J., Ranade, A., Schmidt, M. et al. Complexity, bounds and dynamic programming algorithms for single track train scheduling. Ann Oper Res 273, 479–500 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-017-2644-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-017-2644-7

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