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Delays For Passenger Trains On A Regional Railway Line In Southern Sweden

Palmqvist, Carl-William LU orcid ; Olsson, Nils and Hiselius, Lena LU (2017) In International Journal of Transport Development and Integration 1(3). p.421-431
Abstract
The aim of this article is to study how selected variables influence delays in train traffic. Data has been collected on train movements, timetables, weather and capacity utilization on a highly utilized single-track railway line in southern Sweden during 2014. Based on this dataset, we have analysed how different factors affect delays in passenger traffic. We measure delays in a novel way, as deviations from the scheduled duration for each line section and station stop, not as deviations from a published or operational timetable, and this allows us to identify when and where the delays first occur. Average delays were much larger at station stops. The most significant factor affecting delays was the scheduled duration time at station... (More)
The aim of this article is to study how selected variables influence delays in train traffic. Data has been collected on train movements, timetables, weather and capacity utilization on a highly utilized single-track railway line in southern Sweden during 2014. Based on this dataset, we have analysed how different factors affect delays in passenger traffic. We measure delays in a novel way, as deviations from the scheduled duration for each line section and station stop, not as deviations from a published or operational timetable, and this allows us to identify when and where the delays first occur. Average delays were much larger at station stops. The most significant factor affecting delays was the scheduled duration time at station stops and the existence of margins on line sections. If trains arrive to a line section or station stop slightly delayed they speed up the activity, otherwise they are typically delayed. The influence of weather was less significant and somewhat contradictory: snow and cold temperatures increase delays on line sections but reduce them at station stops, while precipitation made no difference. Capacity utilization seems to have a negative correlation with delays, but we have too little variation in the levels to be confident. All studied variables, except for precipitation, have impacts that are statistically significant to a very high degree of confidence, using both t-tests and regression analysis. The results of this study have important practical implications for timetable construction; for instance we estimate that a reallocation of scheduled time at stations could reduce delays by as much as 80%. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
The aim of this article is to study how selected variables influence delays in train traffic. Data has been collected on train movements, timetables, weather and capacity utilization on a highly utilized single-track railway line in southern Sweden during 2014. Based on this dataset, we have analysed how different factors affect delays in passenger traffic. We measure delays in a novel way, as deviations from the scheduled duration for each line section and station stop, not as deviations from a published or operational timetable, and this allows us to identify when and where the delays first occur. Average delays were much larger at station stops. The most significant factor affecting delays was the scheduled duration time at station... (More)
The aim of this article is to study how selected variables influence delays in train traffic. Data has been collected on train movements, timetables, weather and capacity utilization on a highly utilized single-track railway line in southern Sweden during 2014. Based on this dataset, we have analysed how different factors affect delays in passenger traffic. We measure delays in a novel way, as deviations from the scheduled duration for each line section and station stop, not as deviations from a published or operational timetable, and this allows us to identify when and where the delays first occur. Average delays were much larger at station stops. The most significant factor affecting delays was the scheduled duration time at station stops and the existence of margins on line sections. If trains arrive to a line section or station stop slightly delayed they speed up the activity, otherwise they are typically delayed. The influence of weather was less significant and somewhat contradictory: snow and cold temperatures increase delays on line sections but reduce them at station stops, while precipitation made no difference. Capacity utilization seems to have a negative correlation with delays, but we have too little variation in the levels to be confident. All studied variables, except for precipitation, have impacts that are statistically significant to a very high degree of confidence, using both t-tests and regression analysis. The results of this study have important practical implications for timetable construction; for instance we estimate that a reallocation of scheduled time at stations could reduce delays by as much as 80%. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
alternative title
Förseningar för resandetåg på en regional järnväg i södra Sverige
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Järnväg, Försening, Tåg, Kollektivtrafik, Allowances, Delays, Margins, Punctuality, Railroad, Railway, Station stop, timetable, trains, travel time variation
in
International Journal of Transport Development and Integration
volume
1
issue
3
article number
10.2495/TDI-V1-N3-421-431
pages
10 pages
publisher
WIT Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85039967288
ISSN
2058-8313
project
Mindre Störningar i Tågtrafiken
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8a3b77b0-6b83-4290-8a80-c6ca17f4aa0b
date added to LUP
2017-11-06 13:11:47
date last changed
2024-01-14 09:07:20
@article{8a3b77b0-6b83-4290-8a80-c6ca17f4aa0b,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this article is to study how selected variables influence delays in train traffic. Data has been collected on train movements, timetables, weather and capacity utilization on a highly utilized single-track railway line in southern Sweden during 2014. Based on this dataset, we have analysed how different factors affect delays in passenger traffic. We measure delays in a novel way, as deviations from the scheduled duration for each line section and station stop, not as deviations from a published or operational timetable, and this allows us to identify when and where the delays first occur. Average delays were much larger at station stops. The most significant factor affecting delays was the scheduled duration time at station stops and the existence of margins on line sections. If trains arrive to a line section or station stop slightly delayed they speed up the activity, otherwise they are typically delayed. The influence of weather was less significant and somewhat contradictory: snow and cold temperatures increase delays on line sections but reduce them at station stops, while precipitation made no difference. Capacity utilization seems to have a negative correlation with delays, but we have too little variation in the levels to be confident. All studied variables, except for precipitation, have impacts that are statistically significant to a very high degree of confidence, using both t-tests and regression analysis. The results of this study have important practical implications for timetable construction; for instance we estimate that a reallocation of scheduled time at stations could reduce delays by as much as 80%.}},
  author       = {{Palmqvist, Carl-William and Olsson, Nils and Hiselius, Lena}},
  issn         = {{2058-8313}},
  keywords     = {{Järnväg; Försening; Tåg; Kollektivtrafik; Allowances; Delays; Margins; Punctuality; Railroad; Railway; Station stop; timetable; trains; travel time variation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{421--431}},
  publisher    = {{WIT Press}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Transport Development and Integration}},
  title        = {{Delays For Passenger Trains On A Regional Railway Line In Southern Sweden}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/34403663/Palmqvist_et_al_2017_IJTDI.pdf}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}