New Graphical Approach to Railway Infrastructure Capacity Analysis

A variety of methodologies are being used across Europe for the estimation of railway infrastructure capacity. This paper introduces the basic principles of the methodologies used – analytical methodology (e.g. Slovak railways), UIC methodology, and the graphically developed methodology of the Department of Railway Transport, University of Žilina (KŽD). On the basis of these new approaches, the occupation time estimation is researched. This new method is based on a graphic approach that uses operational time intervals as part of occupation time in accordance with the Slovak methodology. The new methodology concerns graphic capacity estimation and is a conceptual framework developed by the authors for easier evaluation of occupation time in train traffic diagrams.