RAILROAD SWITCHYARD MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE

摘要

A system and method for computing railcar switching solutions in a railway switch yard. The switch yard having an area containing a plurality of railcars awaiting to be switched, a plurality of classification tracks and a switch for switching railcars from the area to the classification tracks. The system has a processing entity for computing an expected switch time for a given railcar in the area awaiting to be switched, the expected switch time being indicative of when the given railcar is expected to arrive at the switch. The processing entity further using the expected switch time to compute a railcar switching solution for the given railcar, the railcar switching solution being indicative of a classification track selected amongst the plurality of classification tracks in which the given railcar is to be switched by the switch.