An Electrical Energy Allotment Method for a Large Railway Network

SUMMARY Railway operators usually do not consider the limit of the electrical energy supply in Japan. Although technologies have been developed for energy efficiency, the limit on the available electrical energy is not considered. However, railway operators met the limit in summer 2011 after the earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku. In this study, we develop an electrical energy allotment method for a large railway network. The method optimizes train operations to provide better railway service when the energy supply is limited. We also develop a search method to find the optimal operation from very large combinations of operation factors. These optimization and search methods are evaluated using the Tohoku earthquake scenario.