Optimization of Path for Small Shunting Trains in Railway Hubs Based on Improved Simulated Annealing Algorithm

Small shunting trains are a type of operational car serving within railway hubs. It primary function, which is to provide temporary transportation services for freight cars originating from non-direct transfer trains and local freight trains, constitutes their core operational duty. This paper explores the optimization problem of the operating path for small shunting trains in railway hubs. Firstly, an optimization model is established to minimize the operational costs of locomotive scheduling and car operations, considering constraints such as train running time, pick-up and delivery operation time, station operation capacity, and line traffic capacity. Secondly, a simulated annealing algorithm with constraint relaxation and multi-objective function handling is employed to solve the problem. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method in significantly reducing overall operational costs.