2014 IEEE 17th International Conference on
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC)
October 8-11, 2014. Qingdao, China
Train Trajectory Optimisation of ATO Systems for Metro Lines *
Ning Zhao, Clive Roberts, Member, IEEE, Stuart Hillmansen, Paul Western, Lei Chen, Zhongbei Tian,
Tingyu Xin, Shuai Su

Abstract— This paper describes an Enhanced Brute Force
Algorithm application to optimise train trajectory (driving
speed curve) for Automatic Train Operation (ATO) systems. A
multi-train simulator was developed specifically for the study. It
can be used to simulate the movement of railway vehicles and
calculate the detailed power system energy consumption with
different train trajectories when implemented on an AC or DC
powered railway line operating with multiple trains.
Results are presented using a practical train trajectory and
an optimal train trajectory with a full day timetable and
passenger flow on the Beijing Yizhuang Metro Line. Analysis of
the results shows that by using an optimal train trajectory, the
energy consumption around the power network can be
significantly reduced within a constrained journey time.
Furthermore, the results also show that the developed simulator
is able to facilitate the understanding of the railway traction and
power system, and that it provides guidance for adjusting the
service timetable and driving strategy to minimise energy usage.
I. INTRODUCTION
The train trajectory, which is conventionally controlled by
the driver but, in modern train control systems, can be
calculated and implemented automatically, has a key effect on
energy consumption. As energy-efficient driving is becoming
a critical issue for railway operators due to rising energy prices
and environmental concerns, train trajectory optimisation is
increasingly important for modern railway design [1-4].
Researchers have set out a number of different approaches to
optimise train operation in recent literature. Hee-Soo Hwang
proposes a fuzzy control model to calculate an optimal
running pattern through a trade-off between journey time and
energy usage [5]. Bwo-Ren Ke proposes a MAX-MIN ant
system to optimise the train trajectory for mass rapid transit
systems with cable signalling systems [6]. Compared with
metaheuristics, exact search provides a more straightforward
approach and is guaranteed to find optimal solutions and prove
*Resrach supported by Beijing Laboratory of Urban Rail Transit and
Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Rail Transit Automation and Control.
N. Zhao is with the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and
Education, School of Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering,
University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (corresponding author to
provide phone: +44 (0)121 414 7522; fax: +44 (0)121 414 4291; e-mail:
n.zhao@bham.ac.uk).
C. Roberts, S. Hillmansen, P. Western, L. Chen, Z. Tian, T. Xin are with
the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education, School of
Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Birmingham,
Birmingham, United Kingdom, B15 2TT, (e-mail: c.roberts.20@bham.ac.uk;
s.hillmansen@bham.ac.uk; p.weston@bham.ac.uk; l.chen.3@bham.ac.uk;
zxt279@bham.ac.uk; txx303@ bham.ac.uk).
S. Su is with the 2State Key Laboratory of Rail Traffic Control and Safety,
Beijing Jiao tong University, P. R. China (e-mail: 10111043@bjtu.edu.cn).
978-1-4799-6078-1/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE
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optimality [7]. Rachel Liu describes a Pontryagin maximum
principle application to find the optimal train movement
sequence to minimise energy usage [8]. However, most of the
research works do not consider the control process of ATO
systems, which automatically controls the train movements by
tracking the target speed trajectory [9-13]. If such a train
trajectory was implemented into an ATO system, the train
would have to switch the movement mode from motoring to
braking or coasting frequently, thus increasing energy usage.
This paper describes an Enhanced Brute Force Algorithm
application for calculating the optimal train trajectory for ATO
systems. A multi-train traction and power system energy
simulator was developed for this purpose, which is used to
simulate the train movements and calculate the detailed power
system energy consumption with a full day timetable and
passenger flow on the Beijing Yizhuang Metro Line. Both the
optimal train trajectory and a practical train trajectory are
implemented into the simulator for energy consumption
comparisons.
II. MULTI-TRAIN SIMULATOR DEVELOPMENT
The developed Multi-Train Simulator is designed to
achieve the following requirements:
(1) Simulate the detailed movement of railway vehicles
around an AC or DC powered railway network;
(2) Calculate voltages and currents in the power network
when trains are operating;
(3) Calculate the delivered power from the substations and
the power consumption at the railway vehicles;
(4) Analyse the overall energy consumed when specific
timetables are operated;
(5) Allow the modification of the behaviour of trains
within the simulation;
(6) Identify and quantify energy losses.
In order to develop the simulator, it is necessary to
consider the fundamental physics of train motion.
Lomonossoff’s Equations, which have previously been
described in earlier works, are used to solve the dynamic
movement equations [14-16]:
(1)
where Mtr is the effective mass; Ftr is the traction force effort;
Fgrad is the force due to the gradient; R is the vehicle resistance,
which can be calculated by the following equation with
1
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constants a, b, c, known as the Davis equation [17]. The
constants are empirical and relative to the track and
aero-dynamic resistance.
( ) | |
The forward tractive effort control signal will equal zero
when the power is shut down, i.e. in coasting mode or braking
mode. In that case, no energy usage will be included.
̇
{ (3)
̇ ( ) ( ) ( )
where s is the train position; uf and ub are the control signal for
forwards effort and backwards braking effort; f(v) and b(v) are
the maximum tractive effort and braking effort at the current
speed; r(v) is the resistive force at the current vehicle speed;
g(s) is the force due to the gradient at the current position.
The boundary conditions are given as follows. The initial
conditions are:
( )
{ (4)
( )
and the final conditions are:
(2)
( )
Figure 2. Traction system characteristic of a Yizhuang Line vehicle.
A number of parameters should be configured into the
simulator. Figure 4 shows the system input and output
diagram. Fixed parameters that are not changed during the
modelling process are considered as constant values, such as
route data, power system characteristics and train traction
characteristics. Dynamic parameters, such as acceleration
rate, train weight and passenger flow, change from time to
time corresponding to train speed, schedule, gradient profile
and movement mode. An iterative technique is implemented
into the simulator to calculate rail traction and power system
solutions [18, 19].
Input data

( )
{ (5) Calculate the
movement of first train

( )
Yes No

Some constraints are imposed: Arrive at a

station
Final station

( ) No

Read line speed,

Yes

gradients. Calculate
braking distance Dwell time

[ ] (6)
New movement No
authority
{ [ ] Yes
Key :
t i - time
where v_lim(s) is the train target speed or line speed limit Update movement
authority
si - train position

(whichever is smaller) at the current position s. vi - train speed

pi - train engine power

Calculate the distance Movement
Based on Equation 1, Equation 2 and Equation 3, four to the limitation of
movement authority
authority
simulation
st i - station position

a ac - acceleration rate
typical movement modes for train motion can be obtained, as a co - coasting rate
shown in Figure 1. The traction system characteristics of a Calculate the distance
to the next station and
a cu - cruising rate
Yizhuang Line vehicle are shown in Figure 2. the next speed limit
change position
a br - braking rate

Choose mode
Speed
Speed limit
Acceleration Cruising Coasting Braking

Record results to
arrays
Motoring Cruising Coasting Braking
mode mode mode mode
Output figures,
store results to
database

Figure 1. Four modes of train movement.

Figure 3. Simulation flowchart [20].

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 III. TRAIN TRAJECTORY OPTIMISATION ( ) (10)
As shown in Figure 4, different train trajectories can be ( ) ∑ ∑ ( ) (11)
applied into the simulator. In this study, an optimal train
trajectory application is considered. The result will be
compared with that of a practical train trajectory. Figure 5 Fixed parameters:
Simulation input:
Timetable (TA)
shows the simulation flowchart. Train control method Train trajectory (TR)
Route data: · Target speed
· Coasting point
As show in Figure 6, the journey is divided into a number · Line speed limits
· Network gradient · Movement sequence
of sections (dot dash lines) in terms of the line speed limit · Station location
· Network curvature
changes, altitude changes and distance. The train movement Power system data:
Simulation output:
Substation energy usage
mode in each section needs to be optimised in order to · Rectifier characteristics Multi-train Auxiliary system energy
· Feeder cable resistances usage
minimise the overall energy consumption. Cruising mode · Traction return path resistance Simulator Train energy usage
· Conductance to ground
will not be considered in the optimisation as it is difficult to · Crossbonds resistance
Train operation time
Train schedule diagram
track precisely using ATO systems. · Network voltage range

Train traction data:

The aim of the train trajectory optimisation in this study is · Traction power
· Regenerative power
Dynamic parameters:
Acceleration rate
to find the most appropriate train movement sequence (TR1 to · Resistance
Train weight
· Motor efficiency
TRi) to minimise energy usage within a constant journey time. Passenger flow

The cost function to be minimised is thus:

∑ (7) Figure 4. Flowchart of the developed simulator.
( ) (8)
The method initially calculates an estimated movement
where n is the number of trains to be optimised; Trun is the jo sequence (TRest) based on the practical train trajectory and
urney time; Tmax and Tmin are the maximum and minimum per constant journey time (Tcon), as shown in Equation 10. The
mitted scheduled journey times; Erun is the train energy usage method then only considers the candidate solutions which are
, which can be calculated using the following equation: close in value to the estimated solution, thereby reducing the
solution domain, as shown in Equation 11. The computing
∫ ( ) [ ( )] ( ) (9) time is therefore significantly decreased. An example of the
trajectory optimisation is presented in Figure 6. The whole
where f [v(t)] is the maximum tractive effort at the current
optimal and practical train trajectories are shown in Figure 7.
vehicle speed v(t).
It can be observed that the actual train switches its movement
In this optimisation study, each potential movement mode from motoring to braking or coasting frequently as the
sequence is assumed as a candidate solution and has an ATO system aims to track the constant cruising speeds. The
individual solution domain. The complexity of the domain optimal train trajectory is able to avoid such situations, thereby
depends on the assumed search boundary and search interval. reducing energy usage.
A conventional brute force search enumerates all possibilities
in the solution domain to find the optimum [21]. This rapidly
becomes impractical due to the processing time required for
complex problems [22]. The developed enhanced brute force
algorithm is able to address this problem by constraining the
solution domain [23, 24].
Songjia
zhuang
Up direction

Yizhuang
Railway
Station
5:30 9:00 16:00 19:00 22:05
Peak time Off-peak time Peak time Off-peak time
Service interval: 6 minutes Service interval: 11 minutes Service interval: 6 minutes Service interval: 11 minutes

Figure 5. A full train schedule diagram.

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 TABLE I. SCHEDULED TIMETABLE OF BEIJING YIZHUANG
METRO LINE.
Station Operation time, s
Dwell
Station location, Up Down
time, s
m direction direction
Yizhuang railway
0 40 0 0
station
Ciqu 1334 45 104 103

Ciqu South 2620 35 248 248

Jinghailu 4706 30 423 421

Figure 6. An example of a Beijing Yizhuang Metro Line train trajectory Tongjinanlu 6971 30 601 599
optimisation.
Rongchangdongjie 9309 30 790 791

Rongjingdongjie 10663 30 923 923

Wanyuanjie 11943 30 1052 1052

Yizhuang Park 13481 30 1194 1194

Yizhuangqiao 14474 35 1309 1309

Jiugong 16456 30 1477 1478

Xiaohongmen 18822 30 1660 1664

Xiaocun 20097 30 1793 1800

Songjiazhuang 22728 30 2016 2019

TABLE II. DETAILED ENERGY CONSUMPTION.

Operation with Operation with
Parameters practical train optimal train
trajectory trajectory
Metro operation time,
17.7 17.7
hours
Figure 7. Beijing Yizhuang Metro Line practical and optimal train trajectory
(up direction) Train traction energy
83771 70884 (-15%)
consumption, kWh
Auxiliary system energy
IV. SIMULATION AND OPTIMISATION RESULTS 823 823
consumption, kWh
The simulation is designed using the optimal and the Substation energy
practical train trajectories with a full day timetable and 88188 73955 (-16%)
consumption, kWh
passenger flow on the Beijing Yizhuang Metro Line, which is
an urban railway line connecting Beijing city centre and Transmission loss, kWh 3594 3071 (-15%)
Yizhuang district. The scheduled timetable and the full train Energy transmission
schedule diagram obtained from the simulator are shown in efficiency
96.0% 95.8%
TABLE I and Figure 5 respectively. Total passenger flow,
1128 1128
The detailed energy consumption calculated from the thousands of people
simulator is shown in TABLE II. It can be seen that optimal
operation can save energy usage by up to 16% with the same
As shown in Figure 8, the network energy usage continues
timetable. The energy transmission efficiency from the
to increase from when the first train departs the first station
substations to the railway vehicles is approximately 96%. The
until the line is fully loaded at 7:00. Between 9:00 to 16:00
auxiliary systems, such as lighting, heating and air
(off-peak time), the energy usage reduces by half, as the train
conditioning, cost 1% of the substation energy usage.
service interval increases significantly. The last train departs
the first station at 22:05. After that, the number of the trains in
4

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the network reduces, and thus the energy consumption also Line is able to improve energy efficiency, thereby
reduces. Figure 9 shows the network energy usage per reducing the energy consumption significantly;
passenger. It can be observed that the number remains
relatively stable between 7:00 and 21:00, which indicates that (3) The choice of train trajectory employed on a line has a
the train service interval plan fits the passenger flow demand. direct impact on improving train performance,
thereby reducing the energy usage;
(4) The enhanced brute force algorithm was shown to be
able to provide a good performance to achieve
optimal results.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research is jointly supported by Beijing Laboratory of
Urban Rail Transit and Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Rail
Transit Automation and Control.

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