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Scheduling Direct and Indirect Trains and Containers in an Intermodal Setting

Author

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  • Alexandra M. Newman

    (Division of Economics and Business, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401)

  • Candace Arai Yano

    (Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720)

Abstract

The focus of our research is on rail transportation of intermodal containers. We address the problem of determining day-of-week schedules for both direct and indirect (via a hub) trains and allocating containers to these trains for the rail (linehaul) portion of the intermodal trip. The goal is to minimize operating costs, including a fixed charge for each train, variable transportation and handling costs for each container and yard storage costs, while meeting on-time delivery requirements. We formulate the problem as an integer program and develop a novel decomposition procedure to find near-optimal solutions. We also develop a method to provide relatively tight bounds on the objective function values. Finally, we compare our solutions to those obtained with heuristics designed to mimic current operations, and show that a savings of between 5 and 20% can be gained from using our solution procedure.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandra M. Newman & Candace Arai Yano, 2000. "Scheduling Direct and Indirect Trains and Containers in an Intermodal Setting," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 34(3), pages 256-270, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ortrsc:v:34:y:2000:i:3:p:256-270
    DOI: 10.1287/trsc.34.3.256.12297
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Meisel, Frank & Kirschstein, Thomas & Bierwirth, Christian, 2013. "Integrated production and intermodal transportation planning in large scale production–distribution-networks," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 62-78.
    2. Jiahao Zhao & Xiaoning Zhu & Li Wang, 2020. "Study on Scheme of Outbound Railway Container Organization in Rail-Water Intermodal Transportation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-18, February.
    3. Bart Wiegmans & Behzad Behdani, 2018. "A review and analysis of the investment in, and cost structure of, intermodal rail terminals," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(1), pages 33-51, January.
    4. Li Li & Sridhar Tayur, 2005. "Medium-Term Pricing and Operations Planning in Intermodal Transportation," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(1), pages 73-86, February.
    5. Verma, Manish & Verter, Vedat, 2010. "A lead-time based approach for planning rail-truck intermodal transportation of dangerous goods," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 202(3), pages 696-706, May.
    6. Reis, Vasco & Fabian Meier, J. & Pace, Giuseppe & Palacin, Roberto, 2013. "Rail and multi-modal transport," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 17-30.
    7. Amy Cohn & Sarah Root & Alex Wang & Douglas Mohr, 2007. "Integration of the Load-Matching and Routing Problem with Equipment Balancing for Small Package Carriers," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 41(2), pages 238-252, May.
    8. Bontekoning, Y. M. & Macharis, C. & Trip, J. J., 2004. "Is a new applied transportation research field emerging?--A review of intermodal rail-truck freight transport literature," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 1-34, January.
    9. Martina Jakara & Nikolina Brnjac, 2023. "Foliated Transport Networks in Intermodal Freight Transport," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-13, April.
    10. Macharis, C. & Bontekoning, Y. M., 2004. "Opportunities for OR in intermodal freight transport research: A review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(2), pages 400-416, March.
    11. Gharehgozli, A.H. & Roy, D. & de Koster, M.B.M., 2014. "Sea Container Terminals," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2014-009-LIS, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    12. Osman Alp & Nesim K. Erkip & Refik Güllü, 2003. "Outsourcing Logistics: Designing Transportation Contracts Between a Manufacturer and a Transporter," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 37(1), pages 23-39, February.
    13. Lawley, Mark & Parmeshwaran, Vijay & Richard, Jean-Philippe & Turkcan, Ayten & Dalal, Malay & Ramcharan, David, 2008. "A time-space scheduling model for optimizing recurring bulk railcar deliveries," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 42(5), pages 438-454, June.
    14. Nils Boysen & Malte Fliedner & Florian Jaehn & Erwin Pesch, 2013. "A Survey on Container Processing in Railway Yards," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 47(3), pages 312-329, August.
    15. Cao, Chengxuan & Gao, Ziyou & Li, Keping, 2012. "Capacity allocation problem with random demands for the rail container carrier," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 217(1), pages 214-221.
    16. Kirschstein, Thomas, 2018. "Rail transportation planning in the chemical industry," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 142-160.
    17. Amir Hossein Gharehgozli & Gilbert Laporte & Yugang Yu & René de Koster, 2015. "Scheduling Twin Yard Cranes in a Container Block," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(3), pages 686-705, August.
    18. Smid, Martijn & Dekker, Sander & Wiegmans, Bart, 2016. "Modeling the cost sensitivity of intermodal inland waterway terminals: A scenario based approach," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 112-122.

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