Optimal Scheduling and Control of Heavy Haul Trains Equipped with Electronically Controlled Pneumatic Braking Systems

This paper compares the performance of different control strategies based on optimal scheduling and heuristic scheduling for heavy haul trains equipped with electronically controlled pneumatic braking systems. Optimization is characteristic of the controllers. In train handling, energy consumption, speed tracking and in-train force are concerns for transportation corporations. The last is particularly important for safe train running. Based on these objectives, LQR (linear quadratic regulator) controllers are applied to train handling. With different optimization parameters, the simulation results of different controllers are given. It is shown that the optimal scheduling is meaningful, especially for fully independent control and for long heavy haul trains