Claims
- 1. A method for managing locomotives in a railyard including a parking yard and a service yard, based on possible future states of the parking yard and the service yard, using a system including a computer, said method comprising the steps of:
enumerating possible present locomotive placement options; enumerating possible future railyard states arising from each possible present locomotive placement option; examining each possible future railyard state; and choosing a present option based on the examination of the possible future railyard states.
- 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of enumerating possible present locomotive placement options comprises the steps of:
evaluating a geometry of the parking yard; and evaluating a geometry of the service yard.
- 3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of enumerating possible present locomotive placement options further comprises the step of establishing an initial state of the railyard.
- 4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said step of establishing an initial railyard state comprises the steps of:
evaluating a present locomotive configuration of the parking yard; and evaluating a present locomotive configuration of the service yard.
- 5. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said step of enumerating possible future railyard states comprises the steps of:
evaluating the initial railyard state; and evaluating a yard schedule.
- 6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said step of evaluating a yard schedule comprises the steps of:
evaluating an inbound locomotive schedule; and evaluating an outbound locomotive schedule.
- 7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said step of evaluating a yard schedule further comprises the steps of:
evaluating service requirements of inbound locomotives; evaluating a list of locomotive service types provided in the service yard; and evaluating non-standard movements of locomotives within the railyard.
- 8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of examining each possible future railyard state comprises the steps of:
examining a cost of each possible future state; and examining a time based efficiency of each possible state.
- 9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said step of examining a cost of each possible future state comprises the steps of:
examining costs incurred from delays to the outbound locomotive schedule caused by the service requirements; examining costs incurred in performing non-standard movements; examining costs incurred by schedule delays caused by non-standard movements; and examining costs incurred by late departure of a locomotive.
- 10. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said step of examining a time based efficiency of each possible state comprises the steps of:
examining delays to an outbound locomotive schedule caused by the service requirements; and examining delays caused by non-standard movements.
- 11. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of choosing a present option comprises the step of executing a locomotive management algorithm utilizing the computer.
- 12. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein said step of executing a locomotive management algorithm comprises the steps of:
applying a set of yard management objectives; applying a set of parking yard management rules; and applying a set of service yard management rules.
- 13. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said step of applying a set of yard management objectives comprises the steps of:
assembling an outbound locomotive consist as scheduled; delivering an outbound locomotive consist as scheduled; reducing a total labor usage figure for labor involved in assembling and delivering an outbound locomotive consist; reducing delays in locomotive servicing; and comparing the cost of late locomotive consist departure to additional labor costs needed to assemble and deliver an outbound locomotive consist as scheduled.
- 14. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said step of applying a set of parking yard management rules comprises the steps of:
executing locomotive pull-forwards when there is a reduced number of locomotives on an affected parking track; maintaining an order of locomotives on each parking track such that locomotives for later outbound locomotive consists are parked behind locomotives for earlier outbound locomotive consists; and parking a lead locomotive for an outbound locomotive consist on a parking track such that the lead locomotive is in front of other locomotives parked on the same track that are allocated for the same outbound locomotive consist.
- 15. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said step of applying a set of service yard management rules comprises the steps of:
positioning a locomotive in a queue for service on a lead-in track to a service bay that provides the appropriate service; positioning locomotives in a queue on a lead-in track in an order that allows servicing of each locomotive to be completed before each locomotive is scheduled for assembly in an outbound locomotive consist; and scheduling short service activities before long service activities when scheduling conflicts are not at issue.
- 16. A networked system for managing locomotives in a railyard including a parking yard and a service yard, based on possible future states of the parking yard and the service yard, said system comprising:
a client system comprising a browser; a database for storing information; a server system coupled to said client system and said database, said server system configured to: enumerate possible present locomotive placement options; enumerate possible future railyard states arising from each possible present locomotive placement option; examine each possible future railyard state; and determine a present option based on the examination of the possible future railyard states.
- 17. A networked system in accordance with claim 16 wherein to enumerate possible present locomotive placement options said server system further configured to:
evaluate a geometry of the parking yard; and evaluate a geometry of the service yard.
- 18. A networked system in accordance with claim 16 wherein to enumerate possible present locomotive placement options said server system further configured to establish an initial state of the railyard.
- 19. A networked system in accordance with claim 18 wherein to establish an initial railyard state said server system further configured to:
evaluate a present locomotive configuration of the parking yard; and evaluate a present locomotive configuration of the service yard.
- 20. A networked system in accordance with claim 18 wherein to enumerate possible future railyard states said server system further configured to:
evaluate the initial railyard state; and evaluate a yard schedule.
- 21. A networked system in accordance with claim 20 wherein to evaluate a yard schedule said server system further configured to:
evaluate an inbound locomotive schedule; and evaluate an outbound locomotive schedule.
- 22. A networked system in accordance with claim 21 wherein to evaluate a yard schedule said server system further configured to:
evaluate service requirements of inbound locomotives; evaluate a list of locomotive service types provided in the service yard; and evaluate non-standard movements of locomotive within the railyard.
- 23. A networked system in accordance with claim 16 wherein to examine each possible future railyard state said server system further configured to:
examine a cost of each possible future state; and examine a time based efficiency of each possible state.
- 24. A networked system in accordance with claim 23 wherein to examine a cost of each possible future state said server system further configured to:
examine a cost of delays to the outbound locomotive schedule caused by the service requirements; and examine a cost of non-standard movements.
- 25. A networked system in accordance with claim 23 wherein to examine a time based efficiency of each possible state said server system further configured to:
examine costs incurred from delays to the outbound locomotive schedule caused by the service requirements; examine costs incurred in performing non-standard movements; examine costs incurred by schedule delays caused by non-standard movements; and examine costs incurred by late departure of a locomotive.
- 26. A networked system in accordance with claim 16 further configured to execute a locomotive management algorithm by:
applying a set of yard management objectives; applying a set of parking yard management rules; and applying a set of service yard management rules.
- 27. A networked system in accordance with claim 26 wherein to apply a set of yard management objectives said server system further configured to:
assemble an outbound locomotive consist as scheduled; deliver an outbound locomotive consist as scheduled; reduce a total labor usage figure for labor involved in assembling and delivering a locomotive consist; reduce delays in locomotive servicing; and compare the cost of late locomotive consist departure to additional labor costs needed to assemble and deliver an outbound locomotive consist as scheduled.
- 28. A networked system in accordance with claim 26 wherein to apply a set of parking yard management rules said server system further configured to:
execute locomotives pull-forwards when there is a reduced number of locomotives on an affected parking track; maintain an order of locomotives on each parking track such that locomotives for later outbound locomotive consists are parked behind locomotives for earlier outbound locomotive consists; and park a lead locomotive for an outbound locomotive consist on a parking track such that the lead locomotive is in front of other locomotives parked on the same track that are allocated for the same outbound locomotive consist.
- 29. A networked system in accordance with claim 26 wherein to apply a set of service yard management rules said server system further configured to:
position a locomotive in a queue for service on a lead-in track to a service bay that provides the appropriate service; position locomotives in a queue on a lead-in track in an order that allows servicing of each locomotive to be completed before each locomotive is scheduled for assembly in an outbound locomotive consist; and schedule short service activities before long service activities when scheduling conflicts are not at issue.
- 30. A networked system according to claim 16 wherein the client system and the server system are connected via a networked and wherein the network is one of a wide area network, a local area network, and an Intranet and the Internet
- 31. A networked system according to claim 16 wherein said server system is further configured with a displaying component for displaying various user interfaces to the user, a receiving component for receiving an inquiry to provide information from one of a plurality of users, a collection component for collecting information from users into the centralized database, a tracking component for tracking information on an on-going basis, and an accessing component for accessing the centralized database and causing the retrieved information to be displayed on the client system.
- 32. A networked system according to claim 31 wherein said server system further configured with a processing component for searching and processing received inquiries against the data storage device containing a variety of information collected by the collection component.
- 33. A networked system according to claim 31 wherein said server system further configured with a retrieving component to retrieve information from the data storage device.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/175,479, filed Jan. 11, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60175479 |
Jan 2000 |
US |