A SIMULATION MODELING METHODOLOGY FOR ANALYZING LARGE COMPLEX RAIL NETWORKS

As the congestion in the nation's freeways increases, the reliance on rail freight shipments is increasing. For this reason, mode are needed to analyze the increased traffic burden on the rail networks. Compoun d delays and ripple effects from conflicts at complex junctions, termi nals, and railroad-railroad crossings at grade and other factors in so me rail networks;make it difficult to develop analytical models to stu dy delays and capacity. Therefore, a simulation modeling methodology f or analyzing complex rail networks is proposed The methodology conside rs both double-track and single-track lines and is insensitive to the size of the rail network. The proposed simulation modeling methodology is then used to analyze train movement from Downtown Los Angeles to t he San Pedro Bay Ports.