3e-model for temporary passenger train scheduling problem

In China, passenger trains are roughly divided into high-speed train, electric multiple units train, express train, fast train, accommodation train and temporary train. The scheduling problem for the first five kinds of trains have been well studied and widely applied. Since the temporary train is operated only during the peak travel time, there is little research on its scheduling model. In this paper, we first define an equity index to measure the fairness of a timetable among different passengers. Then, we propose an effectiveness, efficiency and equity maximization model for the temporary passenger train scheduling problem, which is called 3e-model. In order to solve this model, we employ the ideal point method to transform the multi-objective optimization model into a single-objective optimization model, and then solve the compromise model by Matlab's nonlinear optimization function fmincon. Finally, we illustrate a numerical example, which implies that the consideration of equity index improves the fairness of the optimal timetable significantly.