@misc{BorndoerferDenissenHelleretal.2021, author = {Bornd{\"o}rfer, Ralf and Denißen, Jonas and Heller, Simon and Klug, Torsten and K{\"u}pper, Michael and Lindner, Niels and Reuther, Markus and Schlechte, Thomas and S{\"o}hlke, Andreas and Steadman, William}, title = {Microscopic Timetable Optimization for a Moving Block System}, issn = {1438-0064}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-82547}, year = {2021}, abstract = {We present an optimization model which is capable of routing and ordering trains on a microscopic level under a moving block regime. Based on a general timetabling definition (GTTP) that allows the plug in of arbitrarily detailed methods to compute running and headway times, we describe a layered graph approach using velocity expansion, and develop a mixed integer linear programming formulation. Finally, we present promising results for a German corridor scenario with mixed traffic, indicating that applying branch-and-cut to our model is able to solve reasonably sized instances with up to hundred trains to optimality.}, language = {en} } @article{BorndoerferReutherSchlechteetal.2012, author = {Bornd{\"o}rfer, Ralf and Reuther, Markus and Schlechte, Thomas and Weider, Steffen}, title = {Vehicle Rotation Planning for Intercity Railways}, journal = {Proceedings of Conference on Advanced Systems for Public Transport 2012 (CASPT12)}, editor = {Mu{\~n}oz, J. C. and Voß, S.}, year = {2012}, abstract = {This paper provides a generic formulation for rolling stock planning problems in the context of intercity passenger traffic. The main contributions are a graph theoretical model and a Mixed-Integer-Programming formulation that integrate all main requirements of the considered Vehicle-Rotation-Planning problem (VRPP). We show that it is possible to solve this model for real-world instances provided by our industrial partner DB Fernverkehr AG using modern algorithms and computers.}, language = {en} } @article{BorndoerferLoebelReutheretal.2013, author = {Bornd{\"o}rfer, Ralf and L{\"o}bel, Andreas and Reuther, Markus and Schlechte, Thomas and Weider, Steffen}, title = {Rapid Branching}, volume = {5}, journal = {Public Transport}, number = {1}, editor = {Mu{\~n}oz, J. C. and Voß, S.}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, pages = {3 -- 23}, year = {2013}, abstract = {We propose rapid branching (RB) as a general branch-and-bound heuristic for solving large scale optimization problems in traffic and transport. The key idea is to combine a special branching rule and a greedy node selection strategy in order to produce solutions of controlled quality rapidly and efficiently. We report on three successful applications of the method for integrated vehicle and crew scheduling, railway track allocation, and railway vehicle rotation planning.}, language = {en} } @article{BorndoerferReutherSchlechteetal.2011, author = {Bornd{\"o}rfer, Ralf and Reuther, Markus and Schlechte, Thomas and Weider, Steffen}, title = {A Hypergraph Model for Railway Vehicle Rotation Planning}, volume = {OpenAccess Series in Informatics (OASIcs)}, journal = {11th Workshop on Algorithmic Approaches for Transportation Modelling, Optimization, and Systems}, number = {20}, doi = {10.4230/OASIcs.ATMOS.2011.146}, pages = {146 -- 155}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We propose a model for the integrated optimization of vehicle rotations and vehicle compositions in long distance railway passenger transport. The main contribution of the paper is a hypergraph model that is able to handle the challenging technical requirements as well as very general stipulations with respect to the ``regularity'' of a schedule. The hypergraph model directly generalizes network flow models, replacing arcs with hyperarcs. Although NP-hard in general, the model is computationally well-behaved in practice. High quality solutions can be produced in reasonable time using high performance Integer Programming techniques, in particular, column generation and rapid branching. We show that, in this way, large-scale real world instances of our cooperation partner DB Fernverkehr can be solved.}, language = {en} } @misc{BorndoerferMehrgardtReutheretal.2013, author = {Bornd{\"o}rfer, Ralf and Mehrgardt, Julika and Reuther, Markus and Schlechte, Thomas and Waas, Kerstin}, title = {Re-optimization of Rolling Stock Rotations}, issn = {1438-0064}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-07001-8_8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-42569}, year = {2013}, abstract = {The Rolling Stock Rotation Problem is to schedule rail vehicles in order to cover timetabled trips by a cost optimal set of vehicle rotations. The problem integrates several facets of railway optimization, i.e., vehicle composition, maintenance constraints, and regularity aspects. In industrial applications existing schedules often have to be re-optimized to integrate timetable changes or construction sites. We present an integrated modeling and algorithmic approach for this task as well as computational results for industrial problem instances of DB Fernverkehr AG.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{BorndoerferGrimmReutheretal.2015, author = {Bornd{\"o}rfer, Ralf and Grimm, Boris and Reuther, Markus and Schlechte, Thomas}, title = {Template based re-optimization of rolling stock rotations}, booktitle = {Proceedings of Conference on Advanced Systems in Public Transport 2015 (CASPT2015)}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0297-zib-57539}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Rolling stock, i.e., rail vehicles, are among the most expensive and limited assets of a railway company. They must be used efficiently applying optimization techniques. One important aspect is re-optimization, which is the topic that we consider in this paper. We propose a template concept that allows to compute cost minimal rolling stock rotations under a large variety of re-optimization requirements. Two examples, involving a connection template and a rotation template, are discussed. An implementation within the rolling stock rotation optimizer rotor and computational results for scenarios provided by DB Fernverkehr AG, one of the leading railway operators in Europe, are presented.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{BorndoerferReuther2015, author = {Bornd{\"o}rfer, Ralf and Reuther, Markus}, title = {Regional Search for the Resource Constrained Assignment Problem}, volume = {48}, booktitle = {15th Workshop on Algorithmic Approaches for Transportation Modelling, Optimization, and Systems (ATMOS 2015)}, doi = {10.4230/OASIcs.ATMOS.2015.111}, pages = {111 -- 129}, year = {2015}, abstract = {The resource constrained assignment problem (RCAP) is to find a minimal cost partition of the nodes of a directed graph into cycles such that a resource constraint is fulfilled. The RCAP has its roots in rolling stock rotation optimization where a railway timetable has to be covered by rotations, i.e., cycles. In that context, the resource constraint corresponds to maintenance constraints for rail vehicles. Moreover, the RCAP generalizes variants of the vehicle routing problem (VRP). The paper contributes an exact branch and bound algorithm for the RCAP and, primarily, a straightforward algorithmic concept that we call regional search (RS). As a symbiosis of a local and a global search algorithm, the result of an RS is a local optimum for a combinatorial optimization problem. In addition, the local optimum must be globally optimal as well if an instance of a problem relaxation is computed. In order to present the idea for a standardized setup we introduce an RS for binary programs. But the proper contribution of the paper is an RS that turns the Hungarian method into a powerful heuristic for the resource constrained assignment problem by utilizing the exact branch and bound. We present computational results for RCAP instances from an industrial cooperation with Deutsche Bahn Fernverkehr AG as well as for VRP instances from the literature. The results show that our RS provides a solution quality of 1.4 \% average gap w.r.t. the best known solutions of a large test set. In addition, our branch and bound algorithm can solve many RCAP instances to proven optimality, e.g., almost all asymmetric traveling salesman and capacitated vehicle routing problems that we consider.}, language = {en} } @incollection{ReutherSchlechte2018, author = {Reuther, Markus and Schlechte, Thomas}, title = {Optimization of Rolling Stock Rotations}, volume = {268}, booktitle = {Handbook of Optimization in the Railway Industry}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, isbn = {978-3-319-72152-1}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72153-8}, pages = {213 -- 241}, year = {2018}, abstract = {This chapter shows a successful approach how to model and optimize rolling stock rotations that are required for the operation of a passenger timetable. The underlying mathematical optimization problem is described in detail and solved by RotOR, i.e., a complex optimization algorithm based on linear programming and combinatorial methods. RotOR is used by DB Fernverkehr AG (DBF) in order to optimize intercity express (ICE) rotations for the European high-speed network. We focus on main modeling and solving components, i.e. a hypergraph model and a coarse-to-fine column generation approach. Finally, the chapter concludes with a complex industrial re-optimization application showing the effectiveness of the approach for real world challenges.}, language = {en} } @article{BorndoerferKlugLamorgeseetal.2017, author = {Bornd{\"o}rfer, Ralf and Klug, Torsten and Lamorgese, Leonardo and Mannino, Carlo and Reuther, Markus and Schlechte, Thomas}, title = {Recent success stories on integrated optimization of railway systems}, volume = {74}, journal = {Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies}, number = {1}, doi = {10.1016/j.trc.2016.11.015}, pages = {196 -- 211}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Planning and operating railway transportation systems is an extremely hard task due to the combinatorial complexity of the underlying discrete optimization problems, the technical intricacies, and the immense size of the problem instances. Because of that, however, mathematical models and optimization techniques can result in large gains for both railway customers and operators, e.g., in terms of cost reductions or service quality improvements. In the last years a large and growing group of researchers in the OR community have devoted their attention to this domain developing mathematical models and optimization approaches to tackle many of the relevant problems in the railway planning process. However, there is still a gap to bridge between theory and practice (e.g. Cacchiani et al., 2014; Bornd{\"o}rfer et al., 2010), with a few notable exceptions. In this paper we address three individual success stories, namely, long-term freight train routing (part I), mid-term rolling stock rotation planning (part II), and real-time train dispatching (part III). In each case, we describe real-life, successful implementations. We will discuss the individual problem setting, survey the optimization literature, and focus on particular aspects addressed by the mathematical models. We demonstrate on concrete applications how mathematical optimization can support railway planning and operations. This gives proof that mathematical optimization can support the planning of railway resources. Thus, mathematical models and optimization can lead to a greater efficiency of railway operations and will serve as a powerful and innovative tool to meet recent challenges of the railway industry.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{GrimmBorndoerferReutheretal.2016, author = {Grimm, Boris and Bornd{\"o}rfer, Ralf and Reuther, Markus and Schlechte, Thomas and Schade, Stanley}, title = {Regularity patterns for rolling stock rotation optimization}, volume = {8}, booktitle = {8th International Conference on Applied Operational Research, Proceedings}, pages = {28 -- 32}, year = {2016}, abstract = {The operation of railways gives rise to many fundamental optimization problems. One of these problems is to cover a given set of timetabled trips by a set of rolling stock rotations. This is well known as the Rolling Stock Rotation Problem (RSRP). Most approaches in the literature focus primarily on modeling and minimizing the operational costs. However, an essential aspect for the industrial application is mostly neglected. As the RSRP follows timetabling and line planning, where periodicity is a highly desired property, it is also desired to carry over periodic structures to rolling stock rotations and following operations. We call this complex requirement regularity. Regularity turns out to be of essential interest, especially in the industrial scenarios that we tackle in cooperation with DB Fernverkehr AG. Moreover, regularity in the context of the RSRP has not been investigated thoroughly in the literature so far. We introduce three regularity patterns to tackle this requirement, namely regular trips, regular turns, and regular handouts. We present a two-stage approach in order to optimize all three regularity patterns. At first, we integrate regularity patterns into an integer programming approach for the minimization of the operational cost of rolling stock rotations. Afterwards regular handouts are computed. These handouts present the rotations of the first stage in the most regular way. Our computational results (i.e., rolling stock rotations evaluated by planners of DB Fernverkehr AG) show that the three regularity patterns and our concept are a valuable and, moreover, an essential contribution to rolling stock rotation optimization.}, language = {en} }