Modeling Study for Tracking Operation of Subway Trains Based on Cellular Automata

In the system of railway traffic, the train operation control system is the key subsystem to ensure the safety and to enhance efficiency. The development of the train operation control system is based on analyzing the train tracking mechanism, and building train tracking models and algorithms. According to the characteristics of subway trains tracking, we have proposed a cellular model to simulate the tracking operation of trains in Beijing subway line 2. By means of speed-time-position graphs, we have investigated some important characteristics of subway train flow and have analyzed the relationships of speed, time, and position. The dynamic characteristics of train flow are well described in the simulation results. The comparison between the simulation and real-life data shows that the proposed model is an effective tool to describe the characteristics of subway trains tracking.