This paper proposes models and methods to optimise train speed profiles in suburban areas in order to minimise total energy consumption. In order to achieve this target, an optimisation framework is developed for designing driving strategies, which requires a railway simulation model as a subroutine. In this paper we focus on the train optimisation model to define energy- efficient speed profiles and the relative energy consumption, assuming train motion parameters as control variables. We consider two cases: with and without energy recovery systems. Proposed models and methods are tested on a real suburban case. Initial results show that significant energy savings may be obtained

This paper describes the first results of a research project where the main focus is to implement a Decision Support System (DSS) to optimise energy...

Energy efficiency and train length may be critical during rescheduling, in particular if long freight trains are considered. The first aim of this paper is to investigate how current scheduling and rescheduling models consider train length and energy efficiency. The second aim is to extend a scheduling model that considers train length and energy efficiency for drafting a rescheduling model that minimizes not only delays but also energy consumption. A small numerical example shows that this rescheduling procedure can be fast and yield to a significant reduction of energy consumption. Thus, it is worth further research. However, validation on larger instances, calibration of parameters with real operational data, and methods to speed up the procedure are still needed.