Odina - Dynamic Time Table design and management

Designing railway timetables

Odina application is a tool for design and simulation of railway timetables, underground or tram wire systems. The software manages train paths, Train tracks, the planning and the infrastructure optimization process. Odina can produce train timetable information for passengers, report on the use of the materials and information for material and personnel shift turnover.

Railway timetables can be modeled and simulated dynamically introducing perturbations in the normal cycle, identifying conflicts and automatic resolution during simulation. Manual conflict resolution during simulation is also supported with dedicated user tools and hints.

Odina produces timetables that can be imported into GeMat application. Odina interfaces also with TrainsRunner, the electro-mechanical simulator of railway, metropolitan systems; Odina can import travel time data calculated by TrainsRunner and TrainsRunner can import time data from Odina closing a process where the user can check and fix trains crossings conflicts on the line.

Main Odina functions are:

The definition of the network model, composed of interconnected sections of track
Definitions of abstract train paths consisting of departure, destination, type of material, stations list with stop and dwell times;
Train track build from the train path;
Travel time definition between successive stations. The user defines for each station travel time, stop time.The import module from TrainsRunner can import calculated travel times;
Traingraph drawing on which crossing conflicts shown can be shown and highlighted. Traingraph can show also overtaking, station and section locking.
Conflict resolution acting directly on traingraph drawing. Context menu are available on conflict graphic symbols. Odina conflict resolution module calculates several possible actions in order to solve single conflict; user can select or edit an action and apply timetable correction.
Odina manages information related to materials and personnel shifts in each track station. Shifts and materials produce time table tape diagrams on which user can evaluate locations and start and end for each material use or personnel shift.
Editing of individual train paths and track with translation functions or data changes about travel or stop times;
Track duplication for scheduled timetables;
Conflicts identification in line and stations;
Conflict resolution with calculated pre built actions that can be applied as is or after personalization;
Tape diagram drawing for materials and shifts;

Odina can run a simulation mode which purpose is to evaluate time table robustness against perturbations of normal operations, i.e. delay of one or more trains, different dwell times. The simulation mode allows to:

define a set of predefined rules for automatic resolution of conflicts;
pause a running simulation, cancel a conflict action resolution, user manual resolution of one or more conflict;
save as new time table the simulation result.