ABSTRACT
Train shunting scheduling for the Netherlands Railways is a complex planning problem that is performed by about 130 full-time planners. It concerns the planning of day-to-day shunting operations at the large stations in the railway network. Input for this planning is based on the long term schedule of arrivals and departures at a station, rolling stock and track maintenance schedules, and specific circumstances that have to be taken into account when preparing the plan for a particular day or night. Currently, the planners mainly work manually. The plans are made and revised on paper first, after which the outcome is put in the computer. In our study, the central question is: how can these planners be supported in their task with an advanced planning system?
