Optimization of Stop Plan for Skip-Stop Operation on Suburban Railway Line

A combination of express and local trains (E/L mode) is generally used to operate a suburban rail service, it can meet the rapid and direct service needs of long-distance travelers as well the needs of short-distance travelers. Generally, a stop plan is the core of the E/L mode. A stop plan optimization model in E/L mode, which aims to minimize the total passenger travel time and the number of operating trains during the peak period with the safe headway and departure frequency constraints, is proposed in this study. Meanwhile, an algorithm based on a genetic algorithm is designed to solve the proposed model. A case study of the Jiangjin Line, a suburban railway in Chongqing, China, is carried out. The results show the efficiency and feasibility of the proposed method. The calculation results also show that the total passenger travel time under E/L mode with the overtaking condition is significantly reduced compared with the all-stops (AS) mode and E/L mode without overtaking condition. The superiority of the E/L mode can be enhanced by reducing the dwell time at stations and adopting the overtaking condition.