An exact solution procedure for determining the optimal dispatching times for complex rail networks

Trains operating in densely populated metropolitan areas typically encounter complex trackage configurations. To make optimal use of the available rail capacity, some portions of the rail network may consist of single-track lines while other locations may consist of double- or triple-track lines. This paper develops a branch-and-bound procedure for determining the optimal dispatching times for trains traveling in complex rail networks. We demonstrate the efficiency of our branch-and-bound algorithm by comparing it to CPLEX, a commercially available integer program solver, on an actual rail network in Los Angeles County.