Study of railway empty car distribution with substitution of empty car types

This paper makes a general investigation of current researches on the problem of railway empty car distribution. By introducing car types, the mathematical model for multi-type empty car distribution is described. This paper analyses the effect of substitution of empty car types on this model and constructs a mathematical model for multi-type empty car distribution with the substitution of empty car types. The new model takes the maximum benefit as objective. Through bringing the substitution of empty car types into optimization, it combines reasonably freight loading fit for car with car flow optimization. Finally, some detailed numeral examples are given and characteristics of the new model are expounded, which prove that the substitution of empty car types can save transport costs, relieve the pressure of transport capacity, and avail to optimize further empty car distribution.