2026-08-16T18:58:09Z https://drops.dagstuhl.de/oai

oai:drops-oai.dagstuhl.de:24770 2026-02-09T07:38:02Z ddc:004 open_access

Using A* for Optimal Train Routing on Moving Block Systems Engels, Stefan Wille, Robert ETCS Train Routing Moving Block A* Munich Train Control Toolkit Modern control systems based on Moving Block allow for shorter headways and higher capacity on existing railway infrastructure. At the same time, few algorithms for optimal routing on networks equipped with such modern control systems exist. Previous methods rely on Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) and face a trade-off between model size and accuracy, especially considering comparably complex and nonlinear headway constraints as well as train dynamics. With this work, we propose a complementary approach based on A*. Under a reasonable and easy assumption on train driver behavior, we propose a solution encoding and state space that is flexible concerning the choice of search algorithm and the modeling detail. The applicability is showcased on a small benchmark set. The implementation is available open-source as part of the Munich Train Control Toolkit (MTCT) on GitHub at https://github.com/cda-tum/mtct. Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik Stefan Engels and Robert Wille 2025 Is Part Of OASIcs, Volume 137, 25th Symposium on Algorithmic Approaches for Transportation Modelling, Optimization, and Systems (ATMOS 2025) InProceedings Text doc-type:ResearchArticle publishedVersion application/pdf doi:10.4230/OASIcs.ATMOS.2025.14 urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-247701 https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/OASIcs.ATMOS.2025.14 eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode