The use of Petri Nets models in railway traffic applications

The paper describes an extended research activity on the formalization of railway operation with Petri Nets, including a large set of operational phases in railway traffic: stations layout and timetable operation, level crossing management, trains dispatching and regularity (punctuality) monitoring. All the developed models are based on working criteria and operational rules of interlocking and line signaling systems. The modeling is based on a strongly modular object oriented approach capable to usefully simulate the process with all boundary conditions imposed by infrastructure, signaling and control systems.