Case study · Rail energy management
Coordinate the fleet.Reduce the peaks.
Energy costs depend on when trains draw power, as well as how much they use.
This research explores how coordinated driving recommendations can reduce the combined peak demand of electric freight trains within their timetable constraints.
01 / The challenge
Individual efficiency is only part of the picture.
When several electric freight trains accelerate or climb at the same time, their combined power demand rises. Under the tariff structure examined in the study, these peaks contribute to electricity costs alongside total energy consumption. Optimizing each train independently can miss this fleet-wide effect.
02 / The approach
Coordinate speed profiles across the fleet.
The model combines timetables, train characteristics, track gradients, and speed limits to calculate coordinated speed profiles. It uses available timetable flexibility to spread energy-intensive movements over time while meeting arrival requirements. Fast solution methods use time-dependent speed limits to make recommendations easier to communicate and execute.
03 / The validation
Connect physical measurements with computational tests.
A field study compared calculated and measured energy use to assess the underlying physical model. Computational experiments then compared joint fleet optimization with optimizing each train separately. The research demonstrates the potential of coordination; it does not establish realized savings from a deployed fleet-control system.
Computational findings
The value of planning together.
average modeled cost reduction with two trains
average modeled cost reduction for larger fleets in the study
Comparison of coordinated and individually optimized trains across 6,400 generated instances with 2–20 trains. Savings stabilized around 30% for fleets of more than seven trains. These are computational results under the study's assumptions and tariff model, not measured operating savings.
Project video
Explore the approach.
Watch the project presentation on coordinating electric trains and managing their combined power demand.
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