A solvable queueing network model for railway networks and its validation and applications for the Netherlands

The performance of new railway networks cannot be measured or simulated, as no detailed train schedules are available. Railway infrastructure and capacities are to be determined long before the actual traffic is known. This paper therefore proposes a solvable queueing network model to compute performance measures of interest without requiring train schedules (timetables). Closed form expressions for mean delays are obtained. New network designs, traffic scenarios, and capacity expansions can so be evaluated. A comparison with real delay data for the Netherlands supports the practical value of the model. A special Dutch cargo-line application is included.