Author(s)

J P M Tromp & I A Hansen

Abstract

An analytical description of train movements at a level crossing has been made: it was determined how often crossing trains are hindering each other and how large the additional delays are. Therefore, the observed and the scheduled situation are compared to determine the hindrance, blocking times and speeds for each of the crossing trains. Hindrance occurred in 57 of the 86 cases in the dataset (66 %), with extra delays per train of about one-and-a-half minute on average. In the case of non-hindrance the mean of the train speed was about 85 % of the average top speed and the mean observed blocking time 125 % of the scheduled blocking time; in the case of hindrance that mean speed was only 50 % of the average top speed and the mean observed blocking time was more than 200 % of the scheduled blocking time.

Keywords