Method and apparatus for planning linked train movements
View Patent ↗A scheduling system and method for identifying and planning for the linked movement of two or more trains.
1. A method of controlling a movement of plural trains over a rail network comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a schedule for a planned movement of plural trains;
(b) identifying two or more trains having block swap activity;
(c) identifying a location of the block swap activity;
(d) monitoring the movement of the two or more trains;
(e) modifying characteristics of the two or more trains when the trains reach the block swap activity location; and
(f) planning a movement of the two or more trains using the modified characteristics.
2. The method of claim 1 where the step of identifying includes identifying trains with the same block code.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the train characteristic is one of weight, length, or importance.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the block swap includes transferring at least one railcar between two trains.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the transferred railcar has a higher priority than the other cars on the train it is being transferred to.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristic is a function of the cargo.
7. A method of controlling a movement of plural trains over a rail network comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a schedule for a planned movement of plural trains;
(b) identifying two or more trains having middle annul activity;
(c) identifying a location of the middle annul activity;
(d) monitoring the movement of the two or more trains;
(e) modifying characteristics of the two or more trains when the trains reach the middle annul activity location; and
(f) planning the movement of the two or more trains using the modified characteristics.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the train characteristic is one of weight, length, or importance.
9. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for controlling the movement of plural trains over a rail network, the computer program comprising:
a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in said medium for planning a movement of trains;
a computer readable first program code module for providing a schedule for the planned movement of plural trains,
a computer readable second program code module for identifying two or more trains having block swap activity,
a computer readable third program code module for identifying a location of the block swap activity;
a computer readable fourth program code module for monitoring the movement of the two or more trains;
a computer readable fifth program code module for modifying characteristics of the two or more trains when the trains reach the block swap activity location; and
a computer readable sixth program code module for planning the movement of the two or more trains using the modified characteristics.
10. The computer program of claim 9 wherein the block swap includes transferring at least one railcar between two trains.
11. The computer program of claim 9 wherein the characteristics include one of physical and non-physical characteristics.