Keystone brings busier Betuwe route into focus
Keyrail is the operator of the Betuwe route. The railway line from the Port of Rotterdam to the German border is exclusively used for freight trains. Rail traffic constantly increases. Keyrail expects traffic on the Betuwe route will increase further and would like to anticipate potential capacity bottlenecks. To simulate the various growth scenarios, Keyrail brought in CQM. The result is 'Keystone', a tailor-made capacity model for network utilization and development.
Early insight into the impact of growth scenarios enables informed, data-driven decision-making.
As transshipment volumes in the Port of Rotterdam continue to grow, rail traffic on the Betuwe Route is expected to increase as well. Whether and how this growth can be accommodated depends in part on the logistics activities and processes at terminals and rail yards throughout the port. Can the rail network handle the increasing demand? Where will the first capacity bottlenecks occur, and how can modifications to the existing infrastructure help address them? Alternatively, can capacity utilization be improved through changes to logistics processes?
Early insight into the impact of different growth scenarios enables Keyrail to make well-informed, data-driven decisions.
CQM develops the Keystone simulation model
“We didn’t want an off-the-shelf product, nor were we looking for a party that would take over the entire project,” says Sander Koning, Head of Development & Logistic Solutions at Keyrail. “What we were looking for was a partner who could work with us to clearly define the required functionality and translate it into a decision-support model. We chose CQM, and they fully lived up to our expectations.”
The result is Keystone. This simulation model dynamically replicates train movements over time and displays them graphically on screen. It covers not only train operations on the main Betuweroute freight corridor, but also movements from port terminals and across rail yards. At these locations, trains are inspected and buffered before being handled at the terminal or dispatched to a scheduled slot on the main line.
Anticipating Capacity Bottlenecks
Track occupancy at rail lines, yards, and terminals provides immediate insight into whether capacity bottlenecks will occur and where they are likely to emerge as rail traffic increases. This information is invaluable when evaluating infrastructure upgrades or operational improvements.
Keystone enables Keyrail to identify potential capacity bottlenecks as early as the design phase. The tool can also be used to evaluate alternative scenarios. Infrastructure modifications or expansions can be modeled and analyzed using the built-in infrastructure editor, allowing Keyrail to make fact-based decisions with confidence.
Publication and/or reproduction of texts and images is permitted only with the express written consent of CQM.
Photo credits: CQM and Keyrail.
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Would you like to know more about growth scenarios, capacity models or simulations? Please contact Pleuni van Heiningen.
