Journal of Applied Mathematics and Decision Sciences
Volume 2006 (2006), Article ID 95060, 28 pages
doi:10.1155/JAMDS/2006/95060
ACS-TS: train scheduling using ant colony system
School of Railway Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
Received 6 July 2005; Revised 15 January 2006; Accepted 18 January 2006
Copyright © 2006 Keivan Ghoseiri and Fahimeh Morshedsolouk. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
This paper develops an algorithm for the train scheduling problem
using the ant colony system metaheuristic called ACS-TS. At first,
a mathematical model for a kind of train scheduling problem is
developed and then the algorithm based on ACS is presented to
solve the problem. The problem is considered as a
traveling salesman problem (TSP) wherein cities represent
the trains. ACS determines the sequence of trains dispatched on
the graph of the TSP. Using the sequences obtained and removing
the collisions incurred, train scheduling is determined.
Numerical examples in small and medium sizes are solved using
ACS-TS and compared to exact optimum solutions to check for
quality and accuracy. Comparison of the solutions shows that
ACS-TS results in good quality and time savings. A case study is
presented to illustrate the solution.