System and method for terminal capacity management

• US 20140236957A1
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Norfolk Southern Corporation
• Original Assignee: Norfolk Southern Corporation
• Inventors: Rieppi, Stefano
• Granted Patent: US 9,171,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/741
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A system and method for determining rail terminal capacity needs. In one embodiment, terminal railcar inventory is determined periodically throughout a specific time interval based on terminal traffic data. Train traffic data is accessed and indexed into discrete time periods, such as daily and hourly intervals. Dwell occupancy indexes are created with periodic intervals, and assigned dwell occupancy values based on said dwell occupancy definitions and traffic data. The railcar inventory of the train terminal at any particular time may then be determined by cross-tabulating the occupancy dwell values, and applying business rules. The number and size of tracks needed to accommodate a rail terminal may be determined by assigning blocks of railcars to terminal tracks. Using the railcar inventory, a list of railcar blocks, railcar block sizes, railcar block classifications, and track classifications is created. After specifying switch parameters, the list of railcar blocks is evaluated based on the list of railcar block sizes and the list of railcar block classifications. The list of railcar blocks is then assigned to the terminal tracks, based on the list of railcar block classifications, the list of track classifications, and the switching parameters. After assigning the blocks to tracks, a final list of tracks that have been assigned blocks is generated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of determining capacity of a rail terminal, the method comprising:

accessing a dataset comprising a plurality of train traffic records associated with a rail terminal, said dataset being stored in at least one database;

indexing, by at least one computer processor, said plurality of train traffic records into periodic intervals;

assigning, by the at least one computer processor, unique index values to each periodic interval;

assigning, by the at least one computer processor, dwell occupancy definitions to each of said train traffic records;

creating, by the at least one computer processor, occupancy indexes for each of said train traffic records based on said occupancy definitions;

assigning, by the at least one computer processor, dwell occupancy values to each occupancy index based on said dwell occupancy definitions and said dataset; and

determining, by the at least one computer processor, the capacity demand of said rail terminal based on said dwell occupancy values.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating said traffic record dataset, wherein said traffic record dataset is created by tracking arrival and departure times of railcars at the rail terminal where the railcars have the same outbound classification.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of assigning dwell occupancy definitions comprises assigning a minimum value and a maximum value that define which periodic interval is associated with an arrival time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of assigning dwell occupancy definitions comprises assigning a minimum value and a maximum value that define which periodic interval is associated with a departure time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying said traffic record dataset according to one or more business rules.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating said traffic record dataset, wherein said traffic record dataset is created by tracking the arrival and departure times of each group of cars having the same outbound classification within said train terminal, wherein said rail terminal comprises at least one of a receiving yard, a classification bowl, or a forwarding yard.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising subdividing each periodic interval into a receiving yard dwell, a classification bowl dwell, and a forwarding yard dwell, wherein

the receiving yard dwell is defined based on an arrival time and a receiving yard dwell assumption,

the classification bowl dwell is defined based on the receiving yard dwell assumption and a classification bowl dwell assumption, and

the forwarding yard dwell is defined based on the classification bowl dwell assumption and a forwarding yard assumption.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a graphical display of terminal capacity over a specified time interval.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the number of different outbound classifications present within a facility within a specified time interval.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of:

an average hourly railcar inventory, an average daily maximum hourly railcar inventory, a minimum hourly railcar inventory, a maximum hourly railcar inventory, and a range between the minimum hourly railcar inventory and the maximum hourly railcar inventory.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising applying a fluidity factor to said one or more parameters.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining the capacity of said rail terminal comprises cross-tabulating dwell occupancy values.

13. A system for determining hourly terminal capacity, the system comprising:

at least one database for storing a dataset comprising a plurality of train traffic records associated with a rail terminal; and

a processing engine;

wherein said processing engine executes instructions to perform the steps of;

accessing, by at least one computer processor, said train traffic record dataset associated with a rail terminal;

indexing, by the at least one computer processor, said plurality of train traffic records into periodic intervals;

assigning, by the at least one computer processor, unique index values to each periodic interval;

assigning, by the at least one computer processor, dwell occupancy definitions to each of said train traffic records;

creating, by the at least one computer processor, occupancy indexes for each of said train traffic records based on said occupancy definitions;

assigning, by the at least one computer processor, dwell occupancy values to each occupancy index based on said dwell occupancy definitions and said dataset; and

determining, by the at least one computer processor, the capacity demand of said rail terminal based on said dwell occupancy values.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one database for storing the dataset comprises data tracking arrival and departure times of railcars at the rail terminal where the railcars have the same outbound classification.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said step of assigning dwell occupancy definitions comprises assigning a minimum value and a maximum value that defines which periodic interval is associated with an arrival time.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said step of assigning dwell occupancy definitions comprises assigning a minimum value and a maximum value that defines which periodic interval is associated with a departure time.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising modifying traffic records according to one or more business rules.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising creating said traffic record dataset, wherein said traffic record dataset is created by tracking the arrival and the departure times of each group of cars having the same outbound classification within said rail terminal, wherein said rail terminal comprises at least one of a receiving yard, a classification bowl, and a forwarding yard.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising the step of subdividing each periodic interval into a receiving yard dwell, a classification bowl dwell, and a forwarding yard dwell, wherein

the receiving yard dwell is defined based on an arrival time and a receiving yard dwell assumption,

the classification bowl dwell is defined based on the receiving yard dwell assumption and a classification bowl dwell assumption, and

the forwarding yard dwell is defined based on the classification bowl dwell assumption and a forwarding yard assumption.

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising the step of generating a graphical display of terminal capacity over a specified time interval.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising determining the number of different outbound classifications present within a facility within a specified time interval.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising the step of determining parameters selected from the group consisting of:

an average hourly railcar inventory, an average daily maximum hourly railcar inventory, a minimum hourly railcar inventory, a maximum hourly railcar inventory, and a range between the minimum hourly railcar inventory and the maximum hourly railcar inventory.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising applying a fluidity factor to said one or more parameters.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein said step of determining the capacity of said rail terminal comprises cross-tabulating dwell occupancy values.

25. A computer-implemented method of estimating a number classification tracks required within a rail terminal having a plurality of tracks, the method comprising:

creating, by at least one computer processor, a list of railcar blocks;

establishing, by the at least one computer processor, a list of railcar block sizes based on said list of railcar blocks;

establishing, by the at least one computer processor, a list of railcar block classifications based on said list of railcar blocks;

establishing, by the at least one computer processor, a list of track classifications based on said list of railcar blocks and said plurality of tracks;

specifying, by the at least one computer processor, switch parameters;

evaluating, by the at least one computer processor, said list of railcar blocks based on said list of railcar block sizes and said list of railcar block classifications;

calculating, by the at least one computer processor, initial track estimates;

assigning, by the at least one computer processor, said list of railcar blocks to said plurality of tracks based on said list of railcar block classifications, said list of track classifications, and said switch parameters; and

generating, by the at least one computer processor, a list of tracks based on said step of assigning.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of specifying switching parameters is based on business rules.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said business rules specify the maximum number of cars that may be held in one classification track.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said business rules determine whether a block may be assigned to a track based on the size of said block and classification of said track.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said business rules determine the maximum number of blocks to be held in one classification track.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein said business rules determine the amount of block traffic for assigning railcars to a dedicated track.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein said business rules determine the standard length of a railcar.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein said business rules determine a minimum track length.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of assigning comprises assigning blocks to tracks based on block classification and track classification.

34. A system for assigning railcar blocks to a plurality of rail terminal tracks, the system comprising:

a dataset engine that provides a list of railcar blocks;

a classification engine that classifies said railcar blocks according and said plurality of rail terminal tracks;

a switching parameter engine, said switching parameter engine specifying switching parameters and generating a list of classified blocks according to said switching parameters; and

an assignment engine that assigns each block on said list of classified blocks to a classified track.

35. The system of claim 35, wherein said switching parameter engine comprises business rules.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said business rules specify the maximum number of cars that may be held in one classification track.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein said business rules determine whether a block may be assigned to a track based on the size of the block and classification of the track.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein said business rules determine the maximum number of blocks that may be held in one classification track.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein said business rules determine the amount of block traffic for assigning railcars to a dedicated track.

40. The system of claim 35, wherein said business rules determine the standard length of a railcar.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein said business rules determine a minimum track length.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein said assignment engine assigns blocks to tracks based on block classification and track classification.