Borna Abramović

Draft Methodology to Specify the Railway Sections Capacity

Abstract This paper presents the individual parameters of the selected railway corridors in the selected country. Particularly, it describes the specific features of selected corridors in this country, summarizes their capacity, as well as proposes the methodology in order to specify the capacity of given railway section. The outcome is represented by the calculation of the appropriate railway section capacity implemented on the particular railway corridor in the selected EU country.

The use of game theory in urban transport planning

Every day the traffic is becoming more complex, especially traffic in big cities. In order to make efficient decisions on the traffic organization in cities various activities are necessary: gathering, grouping, selection, and data analysis, then usage of quantitative and simulation methods as base for decision-making, regardless of the decision-making level: strategic, tactical or operative decisions. Within quantitative decision-making methods special place belongs to the game theory. The paper presents how additional information is included in the mathematical model in order to make the optimal decision. In general, the mathematical model of selecting the destination terminal has been processed and the numerical example has been presented for better explanation of the selection procedure.

Infrastructure Access Charges

This chapter deals with the controversial yet important issue of infrastructure access charges. It outlines the current systems for calculating infrastructure charges and considers problems with the current way of how this is dealt with. It considers possible solutions to these problems with a focus on efficiency and process simplification. A case study was made to discuss the current situation in Croatia.

University High Education in Croatia: A Case Study of the Railway Engineering Programme

A degree programme for transport and traffic engineering was established at the University of Zagreb in the Republic of Croatia in 1968, and a module for railway transport and traffic was added in 1982. In 1984, the university founded the Faculty of Traffic Sciences, thus creating an independent study programme. Beginning in AY 2005/2006, the University of Zagreb introduced the Bologna Process across all institutions and degree programmes. This paper presents the current curricula for both the undergraduate and graduate degree programmes at the Faculty of Traffic Sciences, as well as it offers proposals for modernizing them.

Research on Dependences of Railway Infrastructure Capacity

Following the liberalisation of the railway infrastructure, the non-discriminatory approach to each railway undertaking is necessary, including the issue of the train paths provision in terms of the railway infrastructure capacity. Expression and provision of the throughput capacity of the railway network by absolute number of train paths appear to be inadequate and inaccurate at first glance. There are many ways of calculating the capacity of rail infrastructure, as well as several ways of expressing it. The paper describes the testing of the railway infrastructure capacity in a computer based simulation model, which provides results for further research in the area of this issue. Two hypotheses oriented towards the research on the linear dependence of capacity on the number of train paths as well as towards the need for capacity estimation for a whole track or for only one block section are tested.

Use of Railways for Urban Passenger Transport

For many years the whole world has had problems with the issue of traffic congestions that result from the usage of road traffic, especially the traffic of passenger cars. The average occupancy of passenger cars amounts to 1.4 persons per vehicle, thus making this selection of the transport means the least economical regarding fuel consumption, occupancy of traffic areas and negative impact on the environment. The solution of the problem lies in a different traffic policy that will stimulate the usage of public urban passenger transit. Apart from bus and tram transport the public transit in the City of Zagreb also uses rail transport. The railway line that passes through the City of Zagreb is located on the route of the Pan-European corridor X and b branch of the Corridor V. For the needs of this paper, the section of the line on relation Zagreb Main Railway Station – Sesvete is of interest, because the Scientific – Academic campus Borongaj (ZUK Borongaj) is located south of the mentioned section. In October 2007 three faculties moved to ZUK Borongaj and the moving of five more faculties as well as the construction of a student hostel are expected there in the near future. This leads to the conclusion that there will be an increase in the number of people who will gravitate to the area of ZUK Borongaj and therefore the new gravitation area will have to be studied. Apart from the technical-passenger station which is next to the ZUK Borongaj, a new stop of urban – suburban passenger transport is planned. It is therefore necessary to make certain modifications in the mentioned section of the railway line regarding the location and the number of stops. Since the moving to ZUK Borongaj has been planned in three phases, each of these requires an estimate of the number of students, teachers and other staff members who will arrive to the Campus. It is also necessary to use surveys to make a distribution to certain transport modes. Furthermore, each phase will require an analysis of the usage of the rail transport means capacity and based on this propose a new organization of train operation.