The Wagon Assignment Policy problem: Policy Comparison on the Wagon Fleet optimization.

Abstract

By 2050, Europe hopes to nearly double the freight traffic train in order to achieve carbon neutrality. One of the challenges that multimodal freight transport will face is related to optimizing the high costs associated with the management of rolling stock. In this context, we study an integration of the maintenance constraint for the Rolling Stock Problem, defined as the Wagon Assignment Policy problem, focusing on how to optimize the wagon fleet management with a particular focus on the shunting operations. For this reason, an event-based simulation approach has been developed in order to understand the long-term impact of multiple policies. Results show that the criteria for choosing which wagons to assign to a departing train greatly impacts the KPIs regarding fleet management. We show that different criteria for the Wagon Assignment Policy can reduce the number of rolling stock needed for the fulfillment of the freight services.