Organization of dispatching planning on sections with pusher engine traffic

Abstract

The article describes the result of studying the problem of planning train operation on sections that have a mountain-pass nature of the track using pusher engines or a double heading. Most of the existing railway lines were designed at the end of the XIX century. For a number of reasons, such lines have a complex track profile and require additional traction resources. The article considers the Irkutsk – Slyudyanka section of the East Siberian railway, and notes the number of locomotives, as well as locomotive pushing teams, involved in this section. To organize the movement of trains, the dispatcher staff uses various methods of regulation. This paper explores the method of acceptance of the train traffic supply to technical stations regarding extrapolation to sections where pusher engines are used. The authors determine formulas of the time spent by locomotive crews at the "pusher engine" interpositioning station, analyze their components, and highlight the key value that should be emphasized when planning train operation on sections with pusher engine traffic. The article determines the boundaries of optimal planning sections for the train flow supply to the pusher engine  interpositioning station, in order to achieve the most effective solutions by the duty dispatcher staff. There are three zones (red, yellow, and green) where the degree of planning is different. At the same time, it is noted that planning outside the green zone creates an excessive load on the work of the duty dispatcher unit. The conclusions made in this article can be used to determine the size of dispatching areas with pusher engine traffic, as well as to train dispatching personnel on duty.