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A review of data-driven approaches to predict train delays

Tiong, Kah Yong LU ; Ma, Zhenliang and Palmqvist, Carl William LU orcid (2023) In Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 148.
Abstract

Accurate train delay prediction is vital for effective railway traffic planning and management as well as for providing satisfactory passenger service quality. Despite significant advances in data-driven train delay predictions, it lacks of a systematic review of studies and unified modelling development framework. The paper reviews existing studies with an explicit focus on synthesizing a structural framework that could guide effective data-driven train delay prediction model development. The framework consists of three stages including design concept, modelling and evaluation. The study synthesize and discusses six important modules of the framework: (1) Problem scope, (2) Model inputs, (3) Data quality, (4) Methodologies, (5) Model... (More)

Accurate train delay prediction is vital for effective railway traffic planning and management as well as for providing satisfactory passenger service quality. Despite significant advances in data-driven train delay predictions, it lacks of a systematic review of studies and unified modelling development framework. The paper reviews existing studies with an explicit focus on synthesizing a structural framework that could guide effective data-driven train delay prediction model development. The framework consists of three stages including design concept, modelling and evaluation. The study synthesize and discusses six important modules of the framework: (1) Problem scope, (2) Model inputs, (3) Data quality, (4) Methodologies, (5) Model outputs, and (6) Evaluation techniques. For each module, the important problems and techniques reported are synthesized and research gaps are discussed. The review found that most studies focus on developing complex methodologies for the next stop delay predictions that have limited applications in practice. All studies validate the model accuracy, but very few consider other model performance aspects which makes it difficult to assess their usfulness in practical deployment. Future studies need a holistic view on defining the train delay prediction problem considering both application requirements and implementation challenges. Also, the modelling studies should place more attention to data quality and comprehensive model evaluations in representation power, explainability and validity.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Data-driven prediction, Railway operations and information, Technical development, Train delay prediction
in
Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies
volume
148
article number
104027
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85146594886
ISSN
0968-090X
DOI
10.1016/j.trc.2023.104027
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)
id
b0179edb-96b1-4b40-baf5-6a924f8e75ce
date added to LUP
2023-02-06 07:01:33
date last changed
2024-04-04 16:16:54
@article{b0179edb-96b1-4b40-baf5-6a924f8e75ce,
  abstract     = {{<p>Accurate train delay prediction is vital for effective railway traffic planning and management as well as for providing satisfactory passenger service quality. Despite significant advances in data-driven train delay predictions, it lacks of a systematic review of studies and unified modelling development framework. The paper reviews existing studies with an explicit focus on synthesizing a structural framework that could guide effective data-driven train delay prediction model development. The framework consists of three stages including design concept, modelling and evaluation. The study synthesize and discusses six important modules of the framework: (1) Problem scope, (2) Model inputs, (3) Data quality, (4) Methodologies, (5) Model outputs, and (6) Evaluation techniques. For each module, the important problems and techniques reported are synthesized and research gaps are discussed. The review found that most studies focus on developing complex methodologies for the next stop delay predictions that have limited applications in practice. All studies validate the model accuracy, but very few consider other model performance aspects which makes it difficult to assess their usfulness in practical deployment. Future studies need a holistic view on defining the train delay prediction problem considering both application requirements and implementation challenges. Also, the modelling studies should place more attention to data quality and comprehensive model evaluations in representation power, explainability and validity.</p>}},
  author       = {{Tiong, Kah Yong and Ma, Zhenliang and Palmqvist, Carl William}},
  issn         = {{0968-090X}},
  keywords     = {{Data-driven prediction; Railway operations and information; Technical development; Train delay prediction}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies}},
  title        = {{A review of data-driven approaches to predict train delays}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trc.2023.104027}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.trc.2023.104027}},
  volume       = {{148}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}