Author(s)

J.S. Hooghiemstra

Abstract

The role of regular interval timetable planning for railways in general and Railned in particular is explained. The system DONS (Designer Of Network Schedules) is developed to generate these timetables automatically. A powerful user interface enables the planner to specify the timetabling problem at an abstraction level, which is adapted to the planners needs rather than the solver modules needs. A global model of the infrastructure serves as a framework for the definition of defaults for headways, cross-over conflicts, travel times, track usage etc. Tram services and market demands can then be easily manipulated, such that various scenarios can be tested quickly. The DONS system was successfully used to advise the government on railway infrastructure invest- ments for the year 1998-2005. 1 Introduction Timetables form the

Keywords