After passenger boarding, trains sometimes have to wait in the station until the timetable permits departure. Otherwise this time could be exploited for energy efficient driving. The strategy of systematic train delays is intended to exploit this “lost” time buffer.
Technology field:Energy efficient driving
General information
General criteria
Status of development: concept
The concept is described in Euro Transport Consult 1997. No realisation known.
Time horizon for broad application: 2 - 5 years
(no details available)
Expected technological development: not applicable
(no details available)
Motivation:
Energy savings
Benefits (other than environmental): none
(no details available)
Barriers: high
Customer acceptance
Punctuality is seen as one of the most important indicators for service
quality in passenger service. Any measure that compromises punctuality will meet
strong resistance on the part of the management.
Success factors:
Study on acceptance of minor delays could give reliable information on the customer acceptance of such a measure.
A detailed assessment of saving potential for individual lines should be made in order to identify the most promising lines for such a measure. In general, the saving potential through additional time buffers created by systematic delays is the bigger, the smaller the time buffer foreseen by the “public” timetable, or in other words the closer the foreseen running time to the minimum running time (given by speed limits or traction performance).
Applicability for railway segments: high
Type of traction: electric - DC, electric - AC, diesel
Type of transportation: passenger - main lines, passenger - regional lines, passenger - suburban lines
(no details available)
Grade of diffusion into railway markets:
Diffusion into relevant segment of fleet: not applicable
Share of newly purchased stock: not applicable
No realisation known.
Market potential (railways): not applicable
(no details available)
Example:
No realisation known.
Environmental criteria
Economic criteria
Application outside railway sector (this technology is railway specific)