Improving performance of rail yards through dynamic reassignments of empty cars Bektas, Tolga ; Crainic, Teodor Gabriel ; Morency, Vincent
Publication details: Montreal Interuniversity Research Centre on Enterprise Networks, Logistics and Transportation, CIRRELT, 2007; CIRRELT-2007-19, Description: 36 sSubject(s): Online resources: Abstract: This paper considers the problem of reducing the time that empty cars spend in rail yards. For this purpose, a methodology based on dynamic reassignments of empty cars is proposed. To solve the associated reassignment problem, a fast and an efficient solution procedure based on the assignment algorithm is described. The procedure has been tested on real-life data gathered from one of the largest railroads in North America. Computational results show that the procedure runs fast and yields notable savings in the time that the empty cars spend in the yard.This paper considers the problem of reducing the time that empty cars spend in rail yards. For this purpose, a methodology based on dynamic reassignments of empty cars is proposed. To solve the associated reassignment problem, a fast and an efficient solution procedure based on the assignment algorithm is described. The procedure has been tested on real-life data gathered from one of the largest railroads in North America. Computational results show that the procedure runs fast and yields notable savings in the time that the empty cars spend in the yard.