Gantry crane operations to transfer containers between trains: A simulation study of a Spanish terminal

Freight transfer operations are critical in combined transport networks. In this paper a simulation model and modelling approach to the transfer of cargo between trains at rail terminals is presented. The model is used to study the Port-Bou terminal, the main intermodal terminal at the Spanish-French frontier. Four different gantry crane operation modes to interchange containers between trains are evaluated. These operation rules are tested in several scenarios to examine the critical factors of the system and the best operation rule for each situation. Latest generation software is used to develop the model that incorporates modular programming and enhanced graphic systems for output representation. It allows a dynamic display of the simulated system and, likewise, the possibility of developing modules that can be reused in other studies. The research shows how simulation can be a useful planning tool in the rail transportation context.

[1]  Frank Southworth,et al.  Intermodal and international freight network modeling , 2000 .

[2]  Iris F. A. Vis,et al.  Transshipment of containers at a container terminal: An overview , 2003, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[3]  Erhan Kozan,et al.  Optimising container transfers at multimodal terminals , 2000 .

[4]  Galina Merkuryeva,et al.  A Modelling and Simulation Methodology for Managing the Riga Harbour Container Terminal , 1998, Simul..

[5]  Thomas Sarosky,et al.  Simulation of a railroad intermodal terminal , 1994, Proceedings of Winter Simulation Conference.

[6]  Beth C. Kulick,et al.  The use of simulation to calculate the labor requirements in an intermodal rail terminal , 2001, Proceeding of the 2001 Winter Simulation Conference (Cat. No.01CH37304).

[7]  Linda K. Nozick,et al.  A model for medium-term operations planning in an intermodal rail-truck service , 1997 .

[8]  Erhan Kozan.  Increasing the operational efficiency of container terminals in Australia , 1997 .

[9]  Luis Ferreira,et al.  Modelling intermodal freight terminal operations , 1995 .

[10]  Erhan Kozan,et al.  COMPARISON OF ANALYTICAL AND SIMULATION PLANNING MODELS OF SEAPORT CONTAINER TERMINALS , 1997 .

[11]  Beth C. Kulick,et al.  A flexible interface and architecture for container and intermodal freight simulations , 1999, WSC '99.

[12]  Luca Maria Gambardella,et al.  A simulation tool for combined rail/road transport in intermodal terminals , 2002, Math. Comput. Simul..

[13]  Michael L. Weigel.  A railroad intermodal capacity model , 1994, Proceedings of Winter Simulation Conference.

[14]  Leo Kroon,et al.  Routing trains through railway stations: complexity issues , 1997 .

[15]  Luca Maria Gambardella,et al.  Simulation and Planning of an Intermodal Container Terminal , 1998, Simul..

[16]  Yan Dong.  Modeling rail freight operations under different operating strategies , 1997 .

[17]  Won Young Yun,et al.  A simulation model for container-terminal operation analysis using an object-oriented approach , 1999 .

[18]  A. Ballis,et al.  A CONTAINER TERMINAL SIMULATION MODEL WITH ANIMATION CAPABILITIES , 1996 .

[19]  Erhan Kozan,et al.  Genetic algorithms to schedule container transfers at multimodal terminals , 1999 .

[20]  Averill M. Law,et al.  Simulation Modeling and Analysis , 1982 .

[21]  Kap Hwan Kim,et al.  Evaluation of the number of rehandles in container yards , 1997 .

[22]  Carlos F. Daganzo,et al.  A branch and bound solution method for the crane scheduling problem , 1990 .

[23]  Kerim Tumay,et al.  Network simulation of a major railroad , 1998, 1998 Winter Simulation Conference. Proceedings (Cat. No.98CH36274).

[24]  Carlos F. Daganzo,et al.  THE CRANE SCHEDULING PROBLEM , 1989 .

[25]  K. V. Ramani.  An Interactive Simulation Model for the Logistics Planning of Container Operations in Seaports , 1996, Simul..

[26]  P. Cenek.  Simulation of processes in a marshalling yard , 1970 .

[27]  Malay Dalal,et al.  Simulation modeling at Union Pacific Railroad , 2001, Proceeding of the 2001 Winter Simulation Conference (Cat. No.01CH37304).

[28]  Ebru K. Bish,et al.  A multiple-crane-constrained scheduling problem in a container terminal , 2003, Eur. J. Oper. Res..