Development of simulation model for evaluating operational performance of railroad networks

Railroads move freight traffic on their network based on an overall operations plan that includes blocking, train formation, and train scheduling plans. The optimization of these operations over the entire network is integral to maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs. This thesis develops a simulation model for analyzing various operation plans of a railroad network along with guidelines for establishing a comprehensive operations plan. The objective is to move all freight on the network with minimal cost. With the model simulation and comparison of several operation plans can be performed to determine the 'best case' plan. The model implements a discrete state, deterministic simulation approach. The user-friendly software for implementation of the model was programmed in VBA and Excel. Application of the model is demonstrated using a hypothetical railroad network. The results show that the model is an effective tool in evaluating various scenarios and helping in determining the best plan.