Components for modelling rail transports

To distribute chemicals among the sites, RTCs are required. Therefore, each chemical s 5 has a fieet of RTCs distributed among the sites. Each fleet is assumed to be composed by a homogeneous RTC type with maximum payload capacity r , length r , and tare weight At each site, these RTCs can be consolidated to trains, can be unloaded, and/or can be loaded. 

For transports between sites, trains can be composed and dispatched. The set of rail links available for transport is denoted by T s j x X. Note that each site has access to at least one rail link. Elach site can dispatch a maximum number of trains in period t which acts as a proxy for a site s shunting capacity. The maximum number of trains to be chartered for a rail link i,j) e C, reflects varying contingents negotiated between the shipper and the rail operator(s).  

Similarly, individual maximum train lengths trf and train weights are assumed for each rail link (i,j) e reflecting technical train specifications such as the power and number of locomotive(s) committed by the rail operator as well as legal restrictions e.g. for maximum train length. Typically, either the length or the weight constraint is restrictive. The former restriction is often restrictive if only empty RTCs are hauled whereby the latter is restrictive if only loaded RTCs are hauled. 

---