Simulation-Based Genetic Algorithm towards an Energy-Efficient Railway Traffic Control

The real-time traffic control has an important impact on the efficiency of the energy utilization in the modern railway network. This study is aimed to develop an energy-efficient railway traffic control solution for any specified railway. In other words, it is expected to define suitable driving profiles for all the trains running within a specified period through the targeted network with an objective to minimize their total energy consumption. How to optimize the train synchronization so as to benefit from the energy regenerated by electronic braking is also considered in this study. A method based on genetic algorithm and empirical single train driving strategies is developed for this objective. Six monomode strategies and one multimode strategy are tested and compared with the four scenarios extracted from the Belgian railway system. The results obtained by simulation show that the multi-mode control strategy overcomes the mono-mode control strategies with regard to global energy consumption, while there is no firm relation between the utilization rate of energy regenerated by dynamic braking operations and the reduction of total energy consumption