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Locomotive Planning
The locomotive planning problem consists of assigning a set of locomotives to each train in the scheduled train network so that each train has the required pulling power, while the total cost of locomotives used is minimal. A typical major railroad in the United States has several billions of dollars invested in its locomotives, while routinely spending more than $1 billion in annual operational costs.

At major railroads, currently all decisions related to locomotives are made manually which leaves significant room for improvement. Innovative Scheduling has developed an optimization-based software, Innovative Locomotive Planning Optimizer (ILPO), that can semi-automate this decision-making process.

As input, the ILPO requires a train schedule and locomotive fleet size data, and then generates a locomotive assignment (called a consist) for each train. This process takes into account various cost terms, constraints, as well as user-defined business rules and requirements. It determines:

  • the recommended consists for each train,
  • train-to-train connections at each terminal,
  • optimal deadhead moves, and
  • fleet size requirements for each locomotives type.
    • The software uses a sophisticated optimization engine, utilizing decomposition and mixed- integer programming techniques, and can determine the locomotive plan within one hour on a computer workstation. This optimization engine is packaged into an interactive decision support system that enables the user to:

  • review and update data,
  • run the optimization engine and calibrate parameters,
  • perform an in-depth analysis of the solution, and
  • view detailed reports, charts, and maps.
    • Computational tests of ILPO on the railroad data have shown between 2% - 5% reduction in locomotive planning costs, as compared to the manually generated plans.

    ILPO has been licensed by CSX Transportation and has created significant value-added benefits for the company. It is available for web or in-person demonstrations or licensing. You can determine the potential benefits of ILPO through a pilot study designed specifically for your organization.
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